Officials ID man who died in Flathead River rafting accident

KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) - Flathead County officials have released the name of a Whitefish man who died in a Flathead River rafting accident.

Dennis Bee, 52, died Tuesday after the raft he was in hit a rock in the river near Columbia Falls, Sheriff Brian Heino said Wednesday. It is believed he drowned, but an autopsy was planned, Heino siad.

Bee’s body was found at 9 a.m. Wednesday in a large eddy, the sheriff said. He had not been wearing a life vest.

A woman in the raft, believed to be Bee’s fiancee, also was not wearing a life vest, but two children in the raft were, Heino said. The woman was able to get the kids out of the water, Heino told the Daily Inter Lake.