Men identified in Glacier Park drowning incidents

The two individuals who drowned in Glacier National Park on July 6, 2024, have been identified as 26-year-old Siddhant Vitthal Patil from India and 28-year-old Raju Jha of Nepal.

Patil was hiking above the gorge on Avalanche Lake Trail. He diverted from the trail and while standing on a large rock fell into Avalanche Creek. It is unclear if he slipped on a wet portion of the rock or lost his balance. Friends and witnesses saw him go into the creek, go underwater, and resurface briefly before being swept up by the current and into the gorge.

ALERT helicopter conducted aerial searches of the creek and rangers scoured the area, but Patil has not yet been found and is presumed dead. Rangers suspect that the body is being held down by submerged obstacles such as fallen trees or rocks.

Rangers are continuously monitoring the area and are starting to recover personal items that have washed downstream. The water in the gorge is unsearchable due to depth and turbulence, creating whitewater conditions. Rangers flew a drone today to try and determine the location of the body but the effort was unsuccessful. Ground search efforts continue from the gorge to the bridge on Trail of the Cedars.

Patil was living and working in California and on vacation with friends.

Nepal native Jha was swimming on Saturday evening in Lake McDonald near Sprague Creek Campground. According to friends, he was an inexperienced swimmer. He was about 30 yards out when he started to struggle, went underwater, and never resurfaced.

The Flathead County Sheriff’s dive team responded and recovered the body at about 8:20 pm.

Jha was living in Portland, Oregon and vacationing with friends.