GRAND COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — A Colorado man is dead, and another man is missing after a rafting incident on Saturday afternoon in Grand County.
The Grand County Sheriff’s Office said the incident happened on the Colorado River in the Yarmony Rapids area of the Colorado River, southwest of Kremmling.
A 911 call came in at about 3:40 p.m. on Saturday reporting a man not breathing on the Colorado River, according to the sheriff’s office. Once on scene, first responders said they learned a raft had capsized, and a bystander was performing CPR.
The 56-year-old man, identified by the Grand County Sheriff’s Office as Brent Boulter from Aurora, was pronounced dead by EMS personnel.
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The Grand County Sheriff’s Office said they learned another man. identified as Thomas Russel, 61, was still missing after the raft capsized. Emergency responders utilized additional rafts, ground crews, unmanned aerial systems and a Union Pacific Railroad Hi-Rail to search the river and surrounding area for the 61-year-old man, but were unable to locate him.
Russel was last seen wearing khaki shorts and a blue fishing shirt, and he was not reported to be wearing a personal floatation device.
A third person from the group got to shore safely and was accounted for, according to officials.
Rescue crews in Grand County have used multiple methods in their search for Russel along the Colorado River.
“We launched several rafts down the river, we used some drones from the air and then some ground troops, as well as a high rail from the railroad,” Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said.
Crews found an oar and a cell phone near where the incident happened but have yet to locate the missing man.
Schroetlin said the rescue effort has now likely turned into a recovery, which he said may not have been necessary had the rafters been adequately prepared.
“We did find life vests on board the raft, but unfortunately none of them were wearing them,” Schroetlin said.
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Schroetlin said he is at least thankful that someone nearby texted 911 to help get crews to the right location, a feature he says is key to saving lives in the mountains.
“A lot of people know that they can pick up a phone and call 911, but in the mountains where cellular phone connections are tough if you can’t get out on a cellular phone, definitely take that opportunity and try to text 911,” said Schroetlin.
Grand County Search and Rescue, Grand County Sheriff’s Office, Grand County Emergency Medical Services, Bureau of Land Management, Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle County Paramedics, Rock Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Greater Eagle Fire Protection District and Vail Mountain Rescue all responded to the scene.
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