MISSOULA — Two people died Saturday afternoon along the Selway River between Double Drop and Wa-Poots in Idaho.
The Idaho County Sheriff’s Office reports that at approximately 1:24 p.m., dispatchers were told by the International Emergency Response Coordination Center that an SOS activation advising that CPR was in progress.
Dispatchers received a text to 911 at approximately 3:40 p.m. stating a second person in their party had also flipped into the water and CPR was in progress. The text advised they were approximately 2 miles downstream from the original SOS activation. The two were part of a rafting group.
The area is approximately 19 miles from the end of the road and is not accessible by motor vehicle. Life Flight responded to the first location, advised that the patient was dead while confirming the death of the second person.
“Due to the location and equipment needed, they were unable to transport them out,” a social media post states.
The U.S. Forest Service attempted to reach the area on mules but couldn't get to the location because of steep terrain. Two Bear Air responded on Sunday and used a winch to bring both victims out of the canyon to Cedar Flats, where they were turned over to the Idaho County Coroner.
The names of the victims have not been released, pending notification of the next of kin.
