UPDATE: Authorities release name of man who drowned in the Teton River
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UPDATE:
ST. ANTHONY — Authorities are still searching for the body of a missing man who drowned in the Teton River near Monkey Rock.
Fremont County Sheriff Len Humphries tells EastIdahoNews.com the man is 21-year-old Calvin Willie from Malad. He was a student at Brigham Young University-Idaho. He was one of 10 kids who went floating down the river Friday.
Crews believe Willie’s body is caught near a dam where the rapids are particularly strong.
“Anytime you come across a low head dam, you’ve got to exercise extreme caution. Do not go near them. The downstream side of those low head dams is a death trap,” says Humphries. “The water is just boiling and it traps things. It’s really dangerous.”
The water temperature is around 50 degrees, which also makes hypothermia a high risk when floating the river at this time of year. Humphries is urging people to know the water before they attempt to float or recreate on the river.
Day three of the search just wrapped, and will resume again Monday morning. Water and air rescue teams from Fremont and Bonneville County are involved.
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ST. ANTHONY — Emergency responders and search and rescue teams are searching for a body in the Teton River.
Fremont County Sheriff Len Humphries said three people got on the river near Monkey Rock Friday to float the river on tubes.
At some point during the day, two of the individuals became stranded in the river and were rescued by emergency responders late Friday evening.
The third individual, a 21-year-old man, who has not been identified, went over a diversion dam and was caught in fast moving water. He drowned and was swept away by the water.
Crews were on the river Saturday searching for the body, Humphries said.
EastIdahoNews.com will update this story as more details are released.