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Monday, July 7, 2008

Happy Rafting! (Ignore the Corpse)

posted by on July 7 at 8:31 AM

raftheaderh.jpg

From the Associated Press:

Police say white water rafters going through the tricky Blossom Bar rapids on southern Oregon’s Rogue River may see the body of a California woman who drowned there last week but cannot be recovered.

The waters remain too rough for safe removal of the victim. Rafters are complaining about the ever-present corpse. Full story here.

Upsetting update/background from Slog tipper Ryan:

My cousin, a rafting guide on the Rogue River for eight years, told me about this story three days ago. His company Arta wasn’t responsible for the accident, but knows the company involved. What was left out:

Helicopters aren’t the only way to get to the body. Powerboats that commonly go down the rogue for tours are able to get to the body and one such boat tried to remove the body. It was too tangled to remove without risking ripping the corpse in half.

Oregon BLM [Bureau of Land Management] had agreed that dam levels could be altered for a half-day time period so that river levels could be lowered to get the woman out. The sheriff’s department refused to ask for the levels to be lowered and the BLM cannot lower levels without a proper request. It would potentially take 4 hours for one person with bolt cutters and a saw to get her out if the levels were lowered.

The woman was a mother of three. The other rafter had her kneecap torn off by the accident. She was medevaced out within hours. The dead woman is visible from the water and her hand is above water line. Tour groups walk around this rapid now.

Basically, the sheriff’s office is lying. Expect something to be done as its in the news now. The woman drowned 6 days ago. This is a really disturbing case, especially considering how callous the sheriff’s department has been in handling it.

Eep. Stay tuned.

Update from Slog commenter Truthteller: The woman’s body has been recovered.

RSS icon Comments

1

God that's fucked up. I cant even think of a joke to attach to it. Bellevue Ave? eccehomo?

Posted by catnextdoor | July 7, 2008 9:09 AM
2

Why are they complaining? Aren't corpses part of nature?

Posted by Mahtli69 | July 7, 2008 9:19 AM
3

Usually you can say "well, dumbasses, they should have done xyz..." But these folks were wearing lifevests. The only way to win would have been to not have played at all.

Posted by Big Sven | July 7, 2008 9:22 AM
4

One word: Guh-ross!

Posted by Queen_of_Sleaze | July 7, 2008 9:29 AM
5

Oh sure, NOW nobody seems to have a cell phone camera handy. But we get 237 identical snapshots of the exact same pigeon with a dart in his head.

Posted by Blunderplank | July 7, 2008 9:33 AM
6

I wonder if this ever happens at a water park?

Posted by Sad Comment | July 7, 2008 9:38 AM
7

"Rogue" River. Online dictionary, rogue:

adj.
1. Vicious and solitary. Used of an animal, especially an elephant.
2. Large, destructive, and anomalous or unpredictable: a rogue wave; a rogue tornado.
3. Operating outside normal or desirable controls.

Hmm. Perhaps they would rather ride a river that's out of the wway, calm and gentle, you know, ride in the "Sticks"?

Posted by PC | July 7, 2008 9:40 AM
8

sissies. who hasn't seen a corpse or two on a float trip?

Posted by Mike in MO | July 7, 2008 9:45 AM
9

Never forget seeing the purple flesh of a corpse on a fishing trip with my dad! I was twelve and still can see it. Is it any better that people KNOW the body is out there, or should we have left it as a fun surprise???
In the comments, though- it looks as though it finally shook loose, and they grabbed her and pulled her out.

Posted by Cattymaran | July 7, 2008 10:16 AM
10

How hard would it be on one of those rafting trips to carry a novelty hook like they use to pull acts off of a Vaudeville stage? Anyone who makes their own hamburger patties shouldn't have a problem just grabbing the poor woman by her hair and dragging her out of there as they pass by.

Posted by Banna | July 7, 2008 10:28 AM
11

People sometimes die doing dangerous activities and it is sometimes more dangerous to remove their bodies. People who climb Mt. Everest are well aware of this.

Posted by PA Native | July 7, 2008 11:11 AM
12

Lowering dam levels would result in a massive fish kill. It's not worth bringing Rogue River salmon that much closer to extinction for the temporary aesthetic benefits of rafters and hikers.

Posted by lorax | July 7, 2008 11:21 AM
13

Anyone freaking out over one body in a river should take a peek at the Ganges in India and learn to get a grip.

Posted by Mahtli69 | July 7, 2008 11:55 AM
14

Everythings gonna be ok. They just yanked the corpse out of the river:
http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2008/07/rogue_river_drowning_victim_fi.html

Posted by Truthteller | July 7, 2008 11:59 AM
15

Her own family signed off on leaving her there until a recovery that was safe for all concerned could be designed. Seems like the sheriff's office was not so much callous as in a no-win situation.

Posted by Organized Lightning | July 7, 2008 12:04 PM
16

Wait... Rogue like Rogue Breweries Dead Guy Ale???

Posted by catnextdoor | July 7, 2008 12:09 PM
17

Lorax @12 is absolutely correct. The sheriff acted appropriately.

Posted by Fnarf | July 7, 2008 12:16 PM
18

Anyone else having slog problems?

Posted by catnextdoor | July 7, 2008 12:32 PM
19

Yeah, the slog is either dead today or there's something painfully wrong. Where will I get my "news"??

Posted by catnextdoor | July 7, 2008 4:01 PM

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