Portland woman dies in dangerous Ore. rapids

Portland woman dies in dangerous Ore. rapids

This is a file photo of the Rogue River

Tools

By Associated Press

GOLD BEACH, Ore. (AP) - A dangerous Southern Oregon rapids claimed its second life of the summer, a 57-year-old Portland woman bounced from a raft and caught in a rock crevice.

Authorities searched the Rogue River below Blossom Bar rapids on Monday for the body of Kathleen Mills.

Two days before, she was in a raft with her 59-year-old husband, Brent, and their dog.

The Curry County sheriff's office says the raft hit a rock, and she and the dog were thrown out.

The sheriff's office says both were wearing life vests. The dog swam to shore.

On June 27 Cynthia Vontungeln of Irvine, Calif., died in the crevice after her inflatable kayak capsized. She was wearing a life jacket.

Sheriff's deputies say they were unsure whether Mills' body had been trapped underwater, as Vontungeln's was initially, or swept downstream.

Blossom Bar is a Class IV rapids in a six-tier ranking system, making it as difficult a rapids as non-experts are advised to attempt. The water through the rapids is higher and faster this year than usual.

 

 

 

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

 

Weather & Traffic

Icon
Current Temp 49.0 °F
Overcast
More Weather
New:

Upload directly from your mobile device.

Learn how

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Viewer Poll

Have you been able to beat a traffic ticket in court?
Read more about it here

  • Yes, I was found "Not Guilty!"
  • Yes, the fine was reduced.
  • No, but I've tried.
  • No need; I'd probably lose anyhow....
  • No need; no tickets for me!
  • Other