Uncle, Nephew Die In Poudre River Tragedy
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - Two people died on the Cache la Poudre River when they fell in Monday afternoon.
It started as a fishing accident in Poudre Canyon west of Fort Collins. A 14-year-old boy slipped in and his 38-year-old uncle jumped in to try to save him.
The adult was rescued two miles downstream from the Ouzel Campground where they had been fishing. He was taken to a hospital nearby by helicopter and he died Monday night.
The teen was found by kayakers three hours later, 8 miles downstream from where he fell in.
"At one point both of them were together but the little boy was barely keeping his head above water," said Lupe Ybarra, who was nearby when the accident happened.
Rescuers said their efforts to try to save the two people were hampered by the harsh conditions in the river and the steep conditions of the Poudre Canyon.
A third man was injured trying to rescue the adult. He was described as being in good condition at the hospital on Tuesday.
The names of both people who died have not been released, but official said their family is from the Greeley area.
Caleb Schwartz and Jake Stone were involved in getting the uncle out of the water. They said they saw him floating unconscious in the water.
"We ran in the water and luckily right there it was about knee deep and not over our heads," one said.
