Drowning victim identity released

FORT HALL, Idaho (KIFI) - UPDATE 4:45 p.m. The Power County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 phone call Thursday at 9:54 a.m. advising of a drowning on the Portneuf River, east of American Falls, in the area of Tank Farm Road and Siphon Road.

The Power County Sheriff’s Office and the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene along with several other agencies to include Power County EMS, Power County Search and Rescue Dive Team, Bannock County Search and Rescue, Fort Hall Police Department, and Fort Hall Fire and EMS.

Two male individuals were fishing on the Portneuf River in a drift boat when the boat began to take on water and capsized causing both occupants to go into the water of the river.

One of the occupants was able to swim safely to the shore, and the other occupant was unable to reach the shore.

Neither occupant was wearing a Personal Flotation Device.

The victim, 73-year-old David E. Roberts of Blackfoot, died in the incident.

Roberts' body was recovered at approximately 12:30 p.m.

Police say next of kin has been notified.

ORIGINAL: Fort Hall Fire & EMS were dispatched at 9:50 a.m. Thursday to Siphon Road on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation at the bridge for a reported drowning of an unidentified male.

Upon arrival, one man was out of the water and another man was missing. Both individuals are non-tribal.

Fort Hall EMS was assisted with help from Bannock County and Power County Search and Rescue, the man was found approximately at 12:30 p.m. downstream under river debris.

According to the surviving male, the men were fishing when the boat started to take in water and was not clear of what happened after that.

Identities have not been released.

No further information is available.