1 Dead In Clear Creek After Raft Overturned
IDAHO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4)- One woman was confirmed dead in a rafting accident after a water rescue in Clear Creek Friday afternoon.
The rescue attempt happened along the creek between Golden and Idaho Springs when a raft overturned. The raft belonged to the commercial company All American Adventures. There were several people on board when the raft overturned.
The rafting accident happened in a popular location for rafters, between mile marker 258 and mile marker 259 along Highway 6, which is considered intermediate.
"A lot of people get thrown out in Clear Creek, they might get banged up a little bit but usually they get back into the boat or get out of the water and they are okay," said Clear Creek County Sheriff Rick Albers.
Albers said the water in Clear Creek is moving very quickly although the water is not at its peak level.
"This lady was hanging onto the side, another lady was beside her, they got the one lady in and the other lady, the deceased was hanging onto the boat, she got knocked off again in another rapid," said Albers.
The woman was a tourist from Texas who was on a rafting expedition with her daughter when she fell out of the raft and struck a rock.
The group had a safety kayaker along for the trip. Albers said it was that kayaker who pulled the woman from the water.
"They floated her across in a raft, the EMS was doing CPR at that time, but they were unable to revive her and she was pronounced dead on the scene," said Albers.
Highway 6 was closed for a while during the rescue attempt and investigation. It is unclear whether anyone else was injured.
The identity of the woman who died has not been released by Clear Creek County officials.
The first rafting death of the season in Colorado has happened early in the season.
"The water is high, not as high as it is going to get, it could still come up two or three feet," said Albers.
All American Adventures released this statement: All American Adventures takes the safety of its customers very seriously and goes to great efforts to try and avoid the inherent risks associated with river rafting. All American Adventures is working closely with authorities and the (woman's) family and expresses its sincere condolences to all involved.
