Accident Database

Report ID#65679

2009-01-08
accident date
Unidentified Man
victim
0
victim age
Big Creek
river
1. Walnut Bottom to NPS Campground
section
Below Action Alley
location
3.0ish
gage
Medium
water level
V
river difficulty
Swim into Strainer
cause code(s)
Near Drowning
injury type(s)
Cold Water
factors
Private
trip type
Whitewater Kayak
boat type
status?
status

Description

Someone swam below baby gorilla and washed into a drop that was obstructed by a tree. He spent somewhere between 10-20 minutes underwater with an airpocket before rescuers were able to shift the log to free the victim. There was a large crew standing by and he was hiked off the creek with hypothermia. The rescue involved many different ideas and was culminated by a group of advanced paddlers with swift water rescue skills. SWR skills prevented a fatality