Grand Canyon boater dies as others on river trip try to save him, park rangers say

A commercial Grand Canyon river trip boat flipped in rapids and killed one person, park rangers said.

Ronald Vanderlugt, 67, was thrown into the Colorado River near Bedrock Rapid when the boat flipped in the water on Saturday, Sept. 10, the National Park Service said.

“Members of the group pulled him out of the water, noted he was unresponsive, and began CPR,” park officials said in a Sept. 11 news release. “Park rangers were flown into the location with the park helicopter and all resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.”

Four others were thrown into the water. They had noncritical injuries and were flown out of the canyon, park officials said.

The group was on day five of a commercial river trip through the Grand Canyon. Park officials are investigating the incident.

The death is at least the second in the past week in the Grand Canyon.

On Sept. 4, a 59-year-old Arizona woman died on a multi-day backpacking trip, McClatchy News reported.

She became disoriented and unconscious, and other people on the trip tried to save her. She was pronounced dead along the Thunder River Trail, about a mile from the Colorado River.

On June 11, a 47-year-old from Tennessee died while on a commercial river trip. She fell into the river and was swept away in the current.

“Commercial guides were able to reach the woman by boat,” park officials said Monday, June 13. “The commercial guides pulled her from the river and began CPR.”

She was pronounced dead by park rangers.

Grand Canyon officials have recently seen a significant increase in search and rescue operations. There were 411 incidents last year, which was more than the park had seen in at least 20 years, according to the National Park Service.

Last year, multiple hikers died in extreme heat in the Grand Canyon. Park rangers said there are ways to hike and stay safe in brutal temperatures, including:

• Carry and drink plenty of water and plan to replenish electrolytes

• Eat twice as much food as normal and have salty foods on hand

• Carry a first-aid kit

• Pack essentials only

• Bring a flashlight with spare batteries to hike during the cool evening

• Spray yourself with water to cool down

• Have a hat and sunscreen as protection from the sun

• Have a whistle or signal for emergency use

• Wear waterproof clothing

This story was originally published September 12, 2022 at 11:16 AM with the headline "Grand Canyon boater dies as others on river trip try to save him, park rangers say."