2 Die in Oregon Rapids; 10 Saved After Night on Rocks

AGNESS, Ore. — A surge of swirling water roared through a narrow gorge, killing two white-water rafters and forcing 10 others to cling for life to the mossy, 1,800-foot walls overnight, authorities said Monday.

In a daylong rescue effort, helicopters lowered wires into the gorge Monday to pull out cold, wet survivors from the rocks along the treacherous stretch of southwestern Oregon’s Illinois River known as the Green Wall.

The only other traces found from Sunday’s accident were one dead body and two empty, overturned rafts three miles down river.

The surge was caused by heavy rain and snowmelt that more than doubled the water volume on the river in a day and a half.

“When that water comes through that chute, there’s nothing you can do, there’s nowhere you can go to escape,” said Curry County Sheriff’s Lt. Mark Metcalf.

Rescuers had to wait until daybreak Monday to search for survivors because the raging waters were too dangerous for rescue boats to go in, and heavy rain and fog prevented helicopters from flying over the remote canyon.

When the search began, authorities initially thought as many as 30 people could be missing--a number based on the permits issued for people to launch their boats.

But a painstaking check of the people who obtained permits determined that all had been accounted for. Some never launched because of the bad weather, and at least four made it out of the water on their own without incident. Even some rafters who went out on the water without a permit were found.

“As far as we’re concerned, the operation is over,” Metcalf said. “We’re thankful. It could have been a lot worse.”

Metcalf said a flyover will be made this morning just to make sure there is no one else on the river, and the search will go on for the remaining body.

The accident came to light when a kayaker who was on the river during the surge managed to paddle to a landing upriver and call police.

All those plucked from the rocks appeared to be in good condition with only mild cases of hypothermia.