SELWAY-BITTERROOT WILDERNESS – Two individuals have died following separate rafting incidents on the Selway River over the weekend, according to the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office.
On May 10, at approximately 1:24 p.m., Idaho County Dispatch was notified by the International Emergency Response Coordination Center of an SOS activation from a Garmin inReach device. The alert indicated that CPR was in progress in a remote area of the Selway River, between Double Drop and Wa-Poots, located about 19 miles from the end of the road and inaccessible by vehicle.
Later that afternoon, at around 3:40 p.m., dispatch received a separate 911 text message reporting that a second person from the same rafting group had also flipped into the water and required CPR. This second incident occurred roughly two miles downstream from the initial SOS location.
Life Flight responded to both locations and confirmed that both individuals had died. Due to the difficult terrain and necessary equipment, they were unable to transport the victims from the area.
Efforts by the U.S. Forest Service to reach the scene via mule were unsuccessful because of the steep terrain. The following day, Two Bear Air utilized their helicopter winch system to extract both victims from the canyon and transport them to Cedar Flats, where they were turned over to the Idaho County Coroner.
The identities of the deceased have not yet been released pending family notification.
Idaho County Sheriff Doug Ulmer expressed gratitude to Life Flight, Two Bear Air, the U.S. Forest Service, Three Rivers Rafting, and Coroner Cody Funke for their cooperation and assistance in the response effort.
