INITIAL CALL:

At approximately 0730 hours on 8/8/13 I missed a call from NPS dispatch while at my home on a day off.  As there was no message left I returned their call when I noticed it at approximately 0815 hours.  I was then informed that the previous evening around 1930 hours AZ MST there had been a fatal boat accident above Dangling Rope.  NPS Dispatch transferred me to NPS Ranger who had been the first officer on scene at the accident.  NPS Ranger informed me that the boat had struck a rock island and that one passenger had been ejected and then ran over by the boat.  Ranger stated that the victim had near complete amputations of multiple limbs and an obvious head injury and had subsequently died from those injuries.  

On the houseboat were the vessel operator and his family (1/2 of the party onboard the vessel at the time of the accident, with the other half of the party at the lodge in Wahweap).  I interviewed the owner and reported operator of the vessel.  Operator explained to me that at approximately 1900 hours AZ MST (2000 daylight savings time) their party was traveling West, downstream, from Anasazi Cyn heading back to their houseboat in Labyrinth Cyn.  He stated that the earlier clouds and rainy weather had cleared at this time and the weather was clear but breezy with wave conditions being about 1-1.5 feet.  Operator stated that it was still very light out and that they did not have their navigation lights on.  Operator stated that his son was actually steering the vessel standing at the helm with Operator standing right next to him instructing him in direction, with the cruise control set at 33 mph.

Operator stated they had just turned the corner adjacent to the mouth of the Rainbow Bridge Cyn (Forbidding Cyn) and were driving directly toward the next channel marker buoy.  Operator stated that both son and he were looking forward watching the direction they were traveling when they struck something that neither had seen (no discoloration of the water or white capping of water lapping on a shallow place).  When the vessel struck the object (submerged rock island) victim was seated in the bow of the vessel facing toward the rear of the boat.  Upon impact victim was ejected from the boat.  Operator stated that the boat had gone completely over the island/rock and that people on the boat were yelling that Victim had fallen out of the boat and he was attempting to get the vessel to turn around to go back to Victim's location in the water.

Operator stated that multiple people jumped from the vessel and swam to Victim as the vessel was struggling to get the vessel to maneuver properly.  When Operator was able to get the vessel back to Victim they put him on the swim deck and continued to administer aide to him.  Operator stated that both legs and one arm appeared to be nearly completely severed and that there was a deep wound to the forehead area.  Operator noted that though there was a lot of blood in the water, Victim seemed to not be bleeding very much at this point.  Operator placed tourniquet's on the severed limbs while three others preformed CPR.  Operator stated that at this time the Rangers showed up as well as the helicopter and that they continued to treat Victim.

I informed Operator that I would be taking possession of his vessel to have it towed back to Wahweap and put on a trailer to survey the damage to the boat.  Operator agreed to let me take possession of his trailer and gave me the keys to the vessel.
Lake Powell