RedactedNarrative: On the July 16th at approximately 10:34 am two rafts were floating the Bitterroot River about ½ miles south of Hannon Memorial FAS. The first raft occupied by Witness 1, Witness 2, and Witness 3. As they approached the log jam in the photos, the occupants of this boat got out and walked their boat down the west side of the river thereby avoiding contact. As they stood approximately 20 feet from the log jam, the second boat  approached. The operator of the vessel attempted to step out of the boat with the intention of walking it past the log jam. His foot slipped and he was unable to get out of the raft.  This caused the raft to turn and strike the log jam sideways. The boat then capsized towards the upstream side of the boat. Passenger 1 was thrown against a log on the upstream side of the log jam and remained pinned there. The operator entered the water and was swept under the log jam. Witness 3 immediately called 911. All witness then rendered assistance. Witness 1 and Witness 3 were able to get a rope to passenger 1 and he used it to secure himself so as not to slip from where he was. They then located the operator who had gotten far enough through the log jam that his face was above water on the downstream side.  Witness 1 then held the operator''s face out of the water so that he could breathe. Witness 3 spelled witness 1 during this time so that one person was always holding the operators face out of the water. Witness 2 directed fire and rescue to the scene. Emergency Responders were able to extricate the operator from under the log jam and remove the passenger from the log.
      With out the swift action of the witnesses, the operator would have been a certain fatality.
   