Middle Fork drowning victim identified

Custer County authorities have retrieved the body of 34 year old Jonathan Victor Boling of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Search and Rescue Commander Deputy Levi Maydole said Boling was considered an experienced Cataraft operator. He fell into the raging Middle Fork River at approximately Noon Sunday, shortly after a 14 person river-rafting party launched from the Boundary Creek boat ramp.

Maydole said the rafting team was equipped with necessary safety equipment as it attempted to navigate Velvet Falls, 5.1 miles downstream of the boat ramp. Boling was in the fast moving, 38 degree water for eight to ten minutes before being pulled from the river. He was given CPR for 55 minutes, but could not be revived.

The victim’s body was flown to Challis from the Indian Creek airstrip at 8:30 am Wednesday.