Accident Database

Report ID#64859

1986-07-07
accident date
Unknown
victim
0
victim age
Arkansas
river
Royal Gorge
section
Squeeze Box
location
2600
gage
Medium
water level
V
river difficulty
Flush Drowning, Impact/Trauma
cause code(s)
Head Injury / Concussion, Hypothermia
injury type(s)
Cold Water, Poor Group / Scene Management
factors
Commercial
trip type
Raft
boat type
status?
status

Description

A commercial rafting guest with considerable canoeing experience died in Royal Gorge after the commercial raft he was in flipped in Squeezebox Rapid. All passengers got to shore except for the victim, who washed nearly three miles downstream! A second boat caught up with him; the guide brought him ashore and began CPR. He was evacuated by rail car to a waiting ambulance then transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. There were contusions on his left temple suggesting a possible head injury. Source: Casey Swanson