Accident Database

Report ID#66919

2007-06-16
accident date
Saffin Virani, 35
victim
35
victim age
Kicking Horse
river
n/a
section
east of Golden, British Columbia
location
@5000 cfs
gage
High
water level
IV
river difficulty
Flush Drowning
cause code(s)
Does not Apply
injury type(s)
Cold Water, High Water
factors
Commercial
trip type
Raft
boat type
status?
status

Description

Flows were high (130 to 150 cms = about 5000 cfs) and water is very cold in June. Weekend weather was also cool. A coroner’s review will be undertaken and further details will thus be reported. TEXT ATTACHMENTS http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2007/06/20/rafting-death.html Last Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 20074:49 PM MT CBC News Alberta man dies in B.C. rafting accident A Calgary man died in a rafting accident on the Kicking Horse River east of Golden on the weekend, British Columbia RCMP say. Saffin Virani, 35, was on a guided rafting excursion with the Alpine Rafting Company, police said Wednesday. Golden, B.C. Virani, who was with a group of 39 people, was riding in the first of five rafts when it overturned sending all of its occupants into the water. Everyone except Virani made it safely to shore, police said. Although he was pulled out of the water within minutes and CPR was administered, he could not be saved. All of the participants were wearing helmets and life-jackets, but Virani’s helmet had come off by the time he was pulled from the water, police said. An autopsy will be conducted.

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