Columbia Falls man dies in North Fork river accident
The North Fork at Glacier Rim as seen in this file photo. The accident happened about 2 miles upstream from here.
A Columbia Falls man died in a pontoon craft accident on the North Fork of the Flathead River Saturday near Fool Hen rapids.
Glacier National Park officials say Ronald Newton, 62, flipped his boat while floating the river with a group, became submerged in the water, and went unconscious about 5:40 p.m.
Two other pontoon boats tied together became stuck on a rock and Newton attempted to free the boats when his own watercraft flipped, and he submerged in the water. A friend recovered Newton from the water and several bystanders initiated CPR on a nearby gravel bar.
North Valley Search and Rescue met rangers at Glacier Rim and provided jet boat transport to Fool Hen Rapids, approximately 2 miles up-river. When rangers arrived, the ALERT air ambulance staff was already on scene.
More than an hour of CPR was performed before efforts were stopped, Glacier officials said in a release. Newton was declared deceased, but exact cause of death is still unknown.
Newton was apparently not wearing a life jacket or a helmet, park officials said.