****PRESS RELEASE****

On Saturday, July 13, 2019 at approximately 3:20 PM, an Elmore County Patrol Deputy was notified by a citizen of a rafting accident on the South Fork of the Boise River approximately 3 miles south of Featherville, Idaho in a fast moving, remote section of the river. The citizen also reported a total of four individuals had been floating on inner tubes from the Featherville Bridge to the Johnson Bridge and encountered a log jam which spanned across the river and forced at least two of the individuals off their tubes into the swift, cold water. Three individuals were able to self-rescue to shore, with the victim last seen being pulled into the water by the swift current.

After the event was reported to the deputy, with the assistance of several others camping in the area, immediately began searching both in and out of the water for the victim while coordinating search areas with responding emergency service units. Resources from individual campers, Pine Featherville EMS, Elmore County Search and Rescue, Air St. Luke’s, US Forest Service Fire and Law Enforcement, Idaho State Police, and several Sheriff’s Office deputies assisted in the search efforts. Several searches of the area were made along the riverbanks by air, ground and swift water rescue resources with no sign of the victim. Additionally, the rescue of four other stranded rafters, one of which showed signs of a serious head injury, was conducted simultaneously in the area of Pine, Idaho and handled by resources temporarily detached from the original incident.

Swift water rescue teams continued to conduct operations in the water until dark when conditions became unsafe due to the cold, fast moving currents. Family members who remained on scene located the victim from the shore line trapped underwater. The Elmore County Search and Rescue ground team and a Sheriff’s deputy remained on-scene overnight.

On the morning of Sunday, July 14, 2019, members of the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team successfully coordinated with Elmore County Search and Rescue, Pine Featherville EMS, and the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office to recover the victim’s remains from the river.

The Elmore County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the victim of this tragedy. Additionally, we would also like to express our gratitude to the many volunteers and emergency responders who assisted in the search and recovery of the victim.