By Associated Press - Wednesday, June 24, 2020

KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) - Flathead County search and rescue teams have recovered the body of a man who was swept away when the raft he was in capsized in the Flathead River near Columbia Falls, Sheriff Brian Heino said Wednesday.

The raft collided with a rock at about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Heino said. The man’s wife and two children were able to get back in the raft.

His body was recovered between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Wednesday, Heino told ABC Fox Montana. The victim’s name was not immediately released.



He had not been wearing a life vest, Heino said.

Dale Sandquist of Hungry Horse told the Daily Inter Lake he was in his jet boat Tuesday afternoon when he heard someone yell for help.

“So I turned around and went back and the woman said ’Get my husband.’ I grabbed him by the hair, but I couldn’t hang on because of the strong current. It was just so frustrating,” Sandquist said.

“I feel sorry the kids had to see it,” he said.

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