Accident Database

Report ID#69105

1982-05-15
accident date
Jere Whitehead
victim
35
victim age
Arkansas
river
03. The Numbers
section
n/a
location
n/a
gage
n/a
water level
IV
river difficulty
Health Problem
cause code(s)
Heart Attack / Heart Failure
injury type(s)
n/a
factors
Commercial
trip type
Raft
boat type
status?
status

Description

On June 9th Jere Whitted, 35, and three other passengers were thrown from his raft by a large hole in rapid #4 of the Numbers Section of the Arkansas . The other guests were pulled in almost immediately, but Whitted swam about 500 yards of easy rapids before being pulled to shore. No one is sure why this short swim through relatively easy water proved fatal. CPR was attempted without success.