Accident Report for Upper Gauley - Summersville Dam to Mason Branch

SOURCE http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/103358609.html

FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The search for a man missing in a whitewater rafting incident on the Gauley River was suspended Monday night because of darkness. It will resume at about 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to a news release from the U.S. National Park Service.

A crew will remain on scene overnight to monitor the area.

Crews from the National Park Service, Fayette County, Nicholas County, Ansted VFD, Kessler's Cross Lanes VFD, and the DNR will resume operations when river flow levels are expected to be optimal for searchers. That is expected to be around 9 a.m. Tuesday.

A 21-year-old man in a private raft disappeared while running the Fingernail Rapid of the Gauley River.

UPDATE 9/20/10 @ 8:15 p.m.
FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Here are more details about a missing whitewater rafter in the Gauley River, according to a news release issued by the U.S. National Park Service:

"At approximately 1:50 p.m. (Monday), National Park Service rangers received a report of a 21-year-old male in a private raft who disappeared while running the Fingernail Rapid on the Gauley River.

"Fingernail Rapid is located about 7.5 miles below the Lake Summerville Dam. National Park Service swiftwater rescue personnel, Kesler Cross Lanes Volunteer firefighters, Nicholas County Sheriff's department divers, and the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources responded to the scene and conducted a search of the area.

"The raft has been recovered. However, initial search efforts for the victim were unsuccessful, and the National Park Service made a request for a reduction in the river flow. The Army Corps of Engineers at the Summersville Dam commenced a progressive draw
down of the Gauley River at approximately 3 p.m. to reduce the amount of water cascading through the river corridor.

"Normal river flows at the time of the accident were about 2,800 cubic feet per second. The draw down to about 300 cubic feet per second is allowing searchers and divers to begin working in the pools in and around the Fingernail Rapid. Search operations are ongoing."

ORIGINAL STORY
FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A swift water rescue is taking place Monday evening on the Gauley River where a whitewater rafter fell into the river earlier.

Firefighters tell us the person fell into the water in the Wood's Ferry Landing area around 3:30 p.m. Monday.

Crews will continue to search the river until dark. No other information is being released.

This is the second rafting accident on the Gauley River in the last few days. A woman died in an unrelated incident during the weekend.