Phil Meyer, a paddler working for the Rainforest Outward Bound School in Costa Rica, sent word that there were tseveral commercial rafting deaths during the summer.
Here is the information of the last rafting fatality in Costa Rica. For some reason, this has been kept hush hush and did not make the papers until today. The accident happened before noon on 9/28. The victim was a Canadian 30 year old female named Bhupinder Kaur Basran. She was knocked out of her raft on the Rio Naranjo in the Ceasar rapid. When she was pulled from the water, she was not wearing her helmet and had a head injury. She was dead when removed from the water.
She was in a raft from Iguana Tours. The raft contained her, her husband, a seasoned guide, and a new guide. All were wearing helmets and pfds. They did not have a safety kayaker and were solo on the river. Iguana Tours has been in business over 10 years and this is their first serious accident. Caesar rapid is class III and fairly shallow, pushy, and technical at the water level during the time of the accident. As a side note from my personal experience, my Outward Bound school runs this river also and it is known for rapidly changing levels. The river is class III and is similar to the Ocoee. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Phil Kayaker
At Large In Costa Rica
Phil Meyer CRROBS
PO Box 243
Quepos, Costa Rica
Phil Meyer, a paddler working for the Rainforest Outward Bound School in Costa Rica, sent word that there were two more commercial rafting deaths during the summer. On September 28th B.K. Basran, a 30 year old Canadian woman, fell out of her raft on the Rio Naranjo. When she was pulled back in the boat, she was dead. She was no longer wearing her helmet and had suffered a severe head injury. A helmets with good fit and function is vital for any type of serious whitewater, and hopefully local outfitters are checking their gear carefully and implementing changes which could reduce the chance of future tragedies. CW
