Colorado River Paddler Rescue

Two Moab men helped a family avoid tragedy when they just so happened to show up when they needed it most. Former search and rescue team member Gaar Lausman spotted a father and his two young sons struggling to stay afloat.

Their kayak flipped while paddling in whitewater, and the situation quickly became serious. Both of the children in the incident were wearing personal flotation devices (PFDs). However, the youngest son, aged 8, was wearing a life vest that was too big for him.

This ultimately made it hard for the child to keep his head above water. The 10-year-old son struggled as well because his PFD flipped, causing him to wind up face down in the water. Luckily, Gaar Lausman saw it, immediately got on his paddleboard, and quickly paddled out to them.

His search and rescue team instinct kicked in and he quickly got the two children onto his paddleboard. The 40-year-old father continued to be swept upstream until another local man, Daniel Wright, noticed him while jet skiing. Poor water clarity made it hard to reach the man, but Daniel Wright managed to find him when only his hand was sticking out of the water.

The man brought a PFD with him, but it was on his lap when the kayak flipped. That is why he got swept under the water and into the current so quickly. Luckily, the man and his two sons are okay after what turned out to be a scary day on the water.

This nearly tragic event serves to highlight the importance of wearing PFDs. Furthermore, it’s important to inspect your PFD and make sure it fits properly before you go out on the water. A day on the Colorado River can quickly turn dangerous when you get swept up in the current, so you must be prepared.

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