Man dies in rafting accident on Middle Fork of Flathead

Hungry Horse News

A 43-year-old man was killed June 21 after his raft capsized on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River in rapids below Moccasin Creek, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office said in a release.

Three men were in a raft when the accident occurred. All of them had lifejackets on, Sheriff Brian Heino said. The man was later identified as John Daniel “Danny” Fitch of Kalispell.

The accident happened in a rapid just below Moccasin Creek when the raft tipped, spilling the occupants into the river.

Fitch’s body was recovered by a North Valley Search and Rescue crew several miles downstream near the West Glacier golf course.

The exact cause of Fitch’s death is still under investigation.

Fitch was registered nurse and a rugby coach. He coached the Flathead High School rugby team to two Montana State Championships, according to his obituary.

The Middle Fork of the Flathead was near flood stage on on the day of the accident.

Heino said search and rescue crews and the department also had an incident on Flathead Lake at the same time — a boat was stuck in the channel and was stranded, which put a further strain on resources.

Heino urged folks to use extreme caution when on area rivers. The water levels have since dropped below flood stage and are expected to do so even more this week.

Still, people need to use caution. The water is still very swift and very cold, though the rivers have been starting to clear a bit over the past few days as rains have ended.

This story has been updated to identify the man who died in the accident.