Boater vanishes while passenger tries to get help after they hit rocks, Idaho cops say
A boater vanished in an Idaho river after the passenger went to get help for their stuck boat, deputies said.
Two men were in a jet boat around 9 p.m. on Aug. 12 in the Snake River when they struck rocks, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.
The rocks tore a hole in the bottom of their boat, deputies said, so they floated down the river until they became stuck on a gravel bar.
That’s when the passenger got out of the boat to call for help, leaving 32-year-old Wacy DeCora of Moscow, Idaho, inside the boat, deputies said.
The water rose while he was gone, so he couldn’t return to the boat, deputies said. At about 3 a.m. on Aug. 13, deputies said he tried to “communicate with” DeCora but couldn’t find him.
Deputies said it’s likely DeCora drowned. Now they are monitoring the river and the riverbank for his body.
“Our deepest sympathy goes out to the family of Wacy,” deputies said.
At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.
Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.
“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”
