Glacier National Park rangers were searching Tuesday for a paddler who apparently failed to make it to shore after the canoe he was in overturned on Swiftcurrent Lake.
Rangers were notified about 3:30 Tuesday morning that two males had been canoeing on Swiftcurrent Lake. The canoe reportedly tipped over at about 3 a.m. Both males reportedly attempted to swim to shore, but only one person made it safely to shore. The other person is missing, and possibly drowned.
Rangers report that at the time of the incident the temperature was in the mid to upper 40s, and it was not raining. Nearly 20 National Park Service employees are currently searching the area. Additional resources have been requested. A helicopter has been requested, but weather conditions have prevented it from taking off. A dive team has also been requested from Flathead County.
The investigation and search are currently ongoing. More information will be released as soon as it becomes available.
Comments
No offense meant to the family of the missing boater, but WHAT were they doing in a canoe on Swiftcurrent Lake at 3 o'clock in the morning!
This comment was edited to remove a disparaging comment. -- ed.
It is a pity they did not wear a lifevest, or whatever they are called these days.
See link below - the young man was found deceased.
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/gen/ap/MT_Glacier_Canoeist_Missing...
A friend and I overturned our canoe in the "30 mile" section of the Yukon River years ago. I was SITTING on my life jacket at the time--what a dumbass I was!! NEVER AGAIN, no matter how uncomfortable that thing feels on a hot humid day. We both made it out ok, found our canoe about 10 miles downstream after getting rescued by a few cargo canoists that just happened by and finished our journey.
PLEASE--always use your safety gear, your life may well (and usually does) depend on it.
My prayers go out his friends and family.
"The world is a great book, of which they that never stir from home read only a page"--St. Augustine