Accident Database

Report ID#66690

2025-02-02
accident date
Unknown
victim
14
victim age
South Fork American River
river
Marshall Gold Park to Greenwood Creek
section
n/a
location
n/a
gage
Medium
water level
II
river difficulty
Equipment Trap
cause code(s)
Spinal Injury
injury type(s)
Other
factors
Private
trip type
Other
boat type
status?
status

Description

(I cannot get your drop downs to work – I wanted to choose “Equipment Trap” and “Near Drowning”.) At routine summer releases on the heavily used class II stretch of river, a 14 year old girl nearly lost her life due to being trapped under water by her paddleboard ankle leash. We came on the scene while she was already trapped underwater. On the first rapid of the run she apparently fell off the paddleboard – she went on one side of a large rock protruding from the surface, and the paddleboard went down the other side. The force of the water was strong on both sides, and she was trapped face down underwater. We could see the commotion from an upstream eddy and quickly paddled over to give assistance. The body could be seen underwater at this time. Luckily the rock was fairly close to the side of the river, and someone was able to wade upstream to the paddleboard and release it around/above the rock. She then floated free – face down/unconscious. She was quickly recovered by a raft in the party, and miraculously came to with rescue breathing/CPR. I am told that she had a full recovery.