River Drowning · September 19, 2010
Accident Report for Upper Gauley - Summersville Dam to Mason Branch
Gauley · Upper Gauley - Summersville Dam to Mason Branch · Class IV to V
Accident Details
- Number of people injured
- —
- Number of fatalities
- 1
- Number of people involved (or in party)
- —
- Accident date
- September 19, 2010
- Accident type
- River Drowning
- Coordinates
- 38.20929538, -80.922997
- Was search and rescue called or needed?
- Yes
- Did this accident involve a commercial outfitter or guide?
- Yes
- Water flow at the time of the accident
- —
Accident Description
SOURCE http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/103242424.html
NICHOLAS COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Crews in Fayette and Nicholas Counties are searching for an unaccounted for, commercial raft customer.
Randy Fisher with the National Park Service tells WSAZ.com about 10 Sunday morning, a raft going down Iron Curtain Rapid on the Upper Gauley flipped over -- leaving one of the rafters was unaccounted for.
This happened in the Kesslers Cross Lanes area of Nicholas County.
"After the raft flipped, we were not able to account for one of the rafters," Park Ranger Fisher said.
Fisher said an "active inter-agency search is in progress."
Local fire departments, dive teams and the National Park Service are currently searching for the missing rafter. The West Virginia Department of Natural Resources is leading the investigation.
The missing rafter's name has not been released. The name of the company taking the raft trip has not been released.
Fisher said there is no reason at this time to believe the missing rafter is underwater.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
NICHOLAS COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The National Parks Service confirms the body of a missing rafter on the Upper Gauley has been found.
Jeff West with the National Parks Service told WSAZ.com the woman's body was located at 4:00 Sunday afternoon -- she was recovered at 4:11.
West says her body was found under a rock, that had been uppercut by the river.
The accident is currently under investigation by the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources.
The woman's name will not be released until her first of kin is notified.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.