Rafter Dies On Poudre River, 3 Others Rescued
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4)- One rafter died in a rafting accident on the Poudre River Thursday afternoon. Three others were rescued after the accident at about 12:40 p.m. near 13714 West Highway 14, west of Fort Collins.
Two rafters were stranded on a river island near the Mishawaka Inn. A third rafter was injured with a suspected broken leg. A fourth rafter required CPR and later died on scene.
The Larimer County Search and Rescue Team was called in to assist the Dive and Rescue Team to help get the stranded rafters off the island. They were eventually returned to shore by the rafting company. Those two rafters were not injured.
The rafters were wearing wetsuits and were part of a commercial rafting trip operated by Rocky Mountain Adventures of Fort Collins.
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office has not released the circumstances surrounding the death of the rafter. The injured rafter was rushed to Medical Center of the Rockies by helicopter. His condition is unknown.
An autopsy will be performed on the rafter who died on Friday, June 24. The manner, cause of death and identity of the rafter will be released following the autopsy by the Larimer County Coroner.
What caused the rafters to need rescue is unknown, although the Poudre River is running very high and fast because of record snowmelt. There is also a lot of debris in the water.
Commercial rafts and kayaks are allowed on the water, but bans are in place to keep tubers and other water floatation devices out of the river.
