69-year-old dies when raft flips on guided tour of Rogue River, Oregon cops say
A 69-year-old man died after the raft he was on flipped and sent him into an Oregon river, deputies said.
The man was part of a six-person river rafting tour on Sept. 12 on the Rogue River near Gold Hill, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said.
At about 3:30 p.m., a bystander watched the boat capsize in the rapids, sending the man into the water, the department’s spokesperson, Aaron Lewis, told McClatchy News by phone Sept. 14.
The bystander pulled the rafter out of the water and performed CPR on him until first responders got to the scene, Lewis said.
He was reported to be having a medical emergency, deputies said in a Facebook post.
First responders continued to perform CPR on the man until he reached a hospital, but he died at about 4:50 p.m., Lewis said.
Lewis said the man was wearing a helmet and life jacket at the time of the incident.
“Our condolences go out to his friends and family. Out of respect during this difficult time, we will not be releasing the name of the deceased,” the department said in the Facebook post.
The investigation is ongoing.
Gold Hill is in southwestern Oregon and is about 155 miles southeast of Eugene.
This story was originally published September 14, 2023 at 5:07 PM with the headline "69-year-old dies when raft flips on guided tour of Rogue River, Oregon cops say."
