| River: | Colorado |
| Section: | Westwater Canyon |
| Location: | Skull |
| Gauge: | 19,000 |
| Difficulty: | IV |
| Accident Code(s): | Unusual |
| Injury Code(s): | Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal |
| Experienced/Inexperienced: | Experienced |
| Private/Commercial: | Private |
| Boat Type: | Raft |
| Number of Occupants: | 3 |
| Number of Victims: | 1 |
| Initial Report: | On May 26 William Tichnor drowned after his raft flipped in Skull Rapid, the biggest drop in Utah's Westwater Canyon. The water level was 19,000 cfs, which is high water. An article on recent river deaths in the Salt Lake City Tribune reported that the boat apparently broached and overturned in the "Room of Doom ", a horrendous eddy/whirlpool part-way down the drop on river right. Tichnor, despite his life vest, was pulled deep under water and did not resurface for several minutes. Another raft party, which included a nurse and an EMT, attempted CPR without success. They also rescued the other three members of the crew. |
| Report Status: | Completed |
