Man fine after rescue from river bank
Early Saturday morning local responders successful rescued a man who lost his boat and spent a cold night on the Kootenai River.
A 53-year old Bonners Ferry man was found alive Saturday morning after losing his boat and spending the night on the Kootenai River.
Boundary County Sheriff’s Office personell, Boundary Search and Dive Rescue, Idaho State Police, U.S. Border Patrol and the Boundary County Volunteer Sheriff’s Posse conducted a search for Greg Deboer Friday evening and into Saturday morning.
A witness reported seeing Deboer on a kayak pontoon boat near the Deep Creek boat launch Friday at around 7:25 p.m.
The witness said Deboer was paddling and it appeared he ran out of steam and the river took him and his kayak down stream.
A friend of Deboer’s called 911 and said she received a text message from Deboer saying he was in trouble on the river and needed help. This initiated a rapid search of the area.
Although Deboer had a cell phone it is unknown why he could not call for help.
“Initially we set up a perimeter,” said Boundary County Sheriff Investigator Dave McClelland. “Boundary County Sheriff’s Marine One (boat) spent six hours searching on the river.”
McClelland said they launched more ground crew Saturday at 5:30 a.m. along with the Sheriff’s Posse aircraft, two kayaks, EMT crew and a ground crew to search for Deboer when the kayaks spotted Deboer 6.3 miles downstream from the Deep Creek boat launch.
“We found him at approximately 6:35 a.m., he was on the river bank without his boat and very cold,” McClelland said.
McClelland said Deboer was trying to push himself to shore with his boat and after he slipped and fell into the water the boat got away from him.
Sheriff’s Posse aircraft found Deboer’s boat near Ball Ranch.
“It was a fanstastic effort on everyone’s part,” McClelland said.
Deboer was taken to Boundary Community Hospital and no injuries were reported.