On June 12, 1998 a rafting guest died while running the Taos Box run of New Mexico ’s Rio Grande , which was running low at under 1000 cfs. This was the first commercial fatality on this river in 30 years. The first raft ran “The Rock Garden” cleanly; the second raft broached on a partially submerged rock, partly blocking the main channel.  The third raft, containing a 34-year-old female, hit the second raft and capsized. That impact dislodged the second boat. The victim fell out and was pulled into a nasty rock sieve called "the Northwest Passage ". At the same time a fourth boat wrapped on an upstream rock. Unpinning the boats and collecting the swimmers took over an hour, during which time the woman’s husband reported her missing. An extensive search followed, first by guides, then by Taos Search and Rescue. On June 13^th a tyrolean traverse was set above the sieve, and the area was probed with a long pole. Divers found the body on June 16^th under 7 feet of water.

SOURCE: Steve Harris, Far Flung Adventures

 

ANALYSIS: (Walbridge) Collisions may occur when boats are following one another too closely. If one boat has trouble, the others should have enough space to stop before colliding. This is not easy to do in low water, when small obstacles may cause a raft to hang up unexpectedly and there may be little room to maneuver. In tight places may be advisable for each boat, starting with the first, to indicate when the passage is clear. The following boat waits for the signal, runs, and then signals the boat behind them.