Accident Database

Report ID#65496

2004-11-24
accident date
Brian Rueff
victim
20
victim age
Green
river
Narrows of the Green
section
Gorilla
location
200%+
gage
High
water level
V
river difficulty
Unknown
cause code(s)
Does not Apply
injury type(s)
High Water
factors
Private
trip type
Whitewater Kayak
boat type
status?
status

Description

Brian Rueff, a twenty-year-old sophomore at UNCA, became the Green Narrows’ second fatality on November 24, 2004. The river was running high, with a 200% release and heavy flow from tributaries. He was paddling with three friends when he got ahead of the group just before Gorilla. The group planned to portage Gorilla. Whether Mr. Rueff missed an eddy is not known. His body was found downstream, in rocks at Nutcracker. http://www.citizen-times.net/archive/article/?id=71562 http://www.wetdawg.com/pages/bulletin/archive/index.php/t-445.html A local rescue official told the media that they’re called for a rescue at the Narrows 2 or 3 times a year and “9 times out of 10 it involves a body recovery.” This exaggeration is too common; although the Narrows is famously difficult and dangerous, there have been only two known fatalities of kayakers there. http://boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/712428