Accident Report for Virgin River Gorge

ST. GEORGE -- A 15-year-old boy drowned Saturday afternoon after disappearing near a waterfall in the Virgin River.

St. George Police Officers responded to a drowning call at the Virgin River near the 2700 East block of Waterfront Dr. at approximately 12:45 p.m.

The boy was swimming with friends above a waterfall when the group swam too close to the edge and he and a friend were swept over the falls, which is about an eight to ten foot drop into the river, said Detective Johnny Heppler of the St. George Police Department. The boy's friend was able to swim to shore but was unable to find his friend.

Officers began searching for the boy as well as directing citizens in the area to be on the lookout down river. A local resident flagged down an officer after reportedly seeing the boy in the river. He was located in the Virgin River approximately a half a mile downstream from the waterfall.

Officers began CPR until an ambulance arrived at the scene, where medical professionals continued CPR en route to Dixie Regional Medical Center before pronouncing the boy dead at approximately 2:15 p.m.

Heppler said that there will be an investigation, but there are no apparent suspicious circumstances surrounding the accidental drowning.