Coroner Identifies Golden Boy Who Died On Arkansas River Rafting Expedition

SALIDA, Colo. (CBS4) - After a massive search that combined crews from six agencies scouring the Arkansas River, the body of a juvenile boy was recovered from the rapids near where an 11-year-old from Golden went missing Wednesday.

The Chaffee County coroner identified the boy as Drake Durkee late Friday.

Searchers used underwater cameras, divers in the river and boats in Browns Canyon looking for the body.

The 11-year-old was thrown into the rushing Arkansas River about 11 miles north of Salida Wednesday afternoon while rafting on a commercial rafting trip.

Chaffee County Sheriff officials confirm the victim lost his life vest at some point. That part of the investigation continues.

Sheriff John Spezze said he temporarily closed the river to other boaters Friday because crews had put ropes across the river and had a diver searching the rapids.

The Arkansas River was running at 3,800 cubic feet per second Friday afternoon. When the incident happened Wednesday, the sheriff says the river was running 3,000 cfs.

Matt Kroschel covers news throughout Colorado working from the CBS4 Mountain Newsroom. Send story ideas to mrkroschel@cbs.com and connect with him on Twitter @Matt_Kroschel.