Rescuers manage to get a rope on the Boy Scouts' raft Posted on 07/02/2005 3:23:44 PM PDT by NRA2BFree
Rescuers manage to get a rope on the Boy Scouts' raft
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) - Authorities say the part of the Animas River where a Boy Scout was thrown from a raft before drowning is very dangerous.
State police say the body of 15-year-old Chase Hathenbruck of Farmington was pulled from the river about five miles from where he fell in near Lowhead Dam.
Hathenbruck and another scout were thrown from the raft when it got caught in the churning waters near the dam. The other teen was able to swim to shore but authorities say Hathenbruck's life jacket was pulled off by the current.
Hathenbruck was a member of Varsity Scout Team 313, a group that is chartered to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Hathenbruck was the third person to die in a rafting death in New Mexico this season. The first two were on the northern Rio Grande.
Prayers for the families, and it's unfortunate this accident happened.
Probably not much could have been done to prevent this other than not going at all.
Our Troop did a Kayak trip last weekend on a tributary of the Colorado, but no major rapids or anything, which is how we planned it. Nice and leisurely.
Regards,
Joe
White water fun but went a river you have ran many times before and you think you know is running at abnormaly high flows...your thinking you "know it" can get you...
RIP Chase Hathenbruck. Another life snuffed out by the Boy Scouts.
Boy remembered for his caring personality
By Rhys Saunders, The Daily Times (Farmington, NM)
Jul 2, 2005, 11:08 pm
FARMINGTON — Family and friends today are mourning the loss of 15-year-old Chase Hathenbruck, the Boy Scout who drowned in a rafting accident on the Animas River in Farmington on Thursday.
Hathenbruck was a freshman at Piedra Vista High School, where he excelled in basketball and academics, according to Wayne Leupold, his eighth-grade English teacher at Heights Middle School.
Hathenbruck had great potential as a basketball player, agreed Gary Fischer, his coach at Piedra Vista. Hathenbruck played on the freshman “C” team.
“He was 15 years old and 6-foot-2, and he could do just about anything we asked him to,” Fischer said Friday. “He could play any position; he could play inside, he could play outside, he could shoot. He was very coachable.”
Boy Scout leader Dave Stock remembers Hathenbruck as an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days Saints, of which the troop was affiliated.
A memorial service for Hathenbruck will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, at the LDS Church, 4400 College Blvd., in Farmington.
According to Stock, Hathenbruck was instrumental in planning the overnight rafting trip, which began near Cedar Hills, north of Aztec.
Hathenbruck always displayed leadership qualities in his Boy Scout troop, looking out for the other scouts, Stock said.
“Chase was very faithful in his calling for the church,” said Stephen Hathenbruck, the teen’s father.
Stock said the younger Hathenbruck acted as president of the Teacher’s Quorum at his church. The quorum consists of a group of boys, aged 14 to 15, who strive to work together in service activities for their community and church.
“He took his position very seriously,” Stock said. “He was interested in making sure it was a good program.”
Stock characterized Hathenbruck as a good student and someone who actively prepared himself for the future. “The thing that most characterized him was he wanted to do the right things,” he said.
Stephen Hathenbruck remembers his son as a thoughtful and caring young man.
“He had the ability to touch a lot of people’s hearts,” he said.
Hathenbruck also will be remembered as being devoted to his family. According to his father, he loved playing video games with his older brother.
Hathenbruck was wearing a life jacket when he was tossed from the raft at Low Head Dam, off Penny Lane northwest of Farmington, at about 10:50 a.m. Thursday.
His life jacket popped off when he was pulled into the undertow, police said.
His fellow scouts, who also were wearing life jackets, were able to stay with the raft, despite the rushing waters, said State Police Officer Ron Foreman.
Emergency rescue crews pulled the raft out of the river, but one scout fell in, leaving two in the raft, Foreman said.
“There was so much water churning there, it wouldn’t have mattered if they were in the raft or in the water,” Foreman said. “There was no way for anyone to stay dry. There was a lot of water in the raft, but they were on it.”
Rescue crews managed to save the other Scout and a Scout leader who was trying to save Hathenbruck, who was swept under and away by the swift-moving river.
About three hours later, the teen was spotted and pulled from the chilly river near the Murray Street Bridge, but rescuers were unable to revive him.
“We want to thank all the rescuers and all the support throughout the community,” said Stephen Hathenbruck.
The father said he knows everyone involved in the rescue did everything they could to save his son.
“They were quick to the scene and we know they didn’t give up,” he said.
Rhys Saunders: rsaunders@daily-times.com
It's easy to sideline quarterback but it sounds like something wasn't done right here or perhaps defective equipment.
It wasn't snuffed out by the boy scouts, and that is an IGNORANT comment to say.
There are risks in everything that happens.
Troll....
FWIW
I do a fair bit of paddling and reading and have yet to hear of a properly fitted and fasten PFD coming off.
Yeah, people who aren't Boy Scouts never have rafting accidents.
Don't be a creep.
Key word "properly fitted". A life vest that is a little bit big can come off.
Snuffed out huh....
How about This:
"Hathenbruck was wearing a life jacket when he was tossed from the raft at Low Head Dam, off Penny Lane northwest of Farmington, at about 10:50 a.m. Thursday."
**Scout was wearing Life Jacket. No Fault There.
"His life jacket popped off when he was pulled into the undertow, police said."
**How is that The Boy Scouts of America's Fault. It was most likely gear rented for the weekend from an outfitter. Maybe it was a Faulty Life Jacket, or maybe just maybe, the current was too strong and even the newzjunkey would have drowned.
"Rescue crews managed to save the other Scout and a Scout leader who was trying to save Hathenbruck, who was swept under and away by the swift-moving river."
""Note they saved a Leader who tried to save the Scout. That guy almost lost his life in the process of trying to save another. Pretty commendable act to me.
“We want to thank all the rescuers and all the support throughout the community,” said Stephen Hathenbruck.
The father said he knows everyone involved in the rescue did everything they could to save his son.
“They were quick to the scene and we know they didn’t give up,” he said. "
**Appropriate response from a grieving family who appreciates and knows it was an accident, and not some IGNORANT snuffing
out as you wrote.
Your Pathetic....
I'd be interested to see what Category this river was rated at the time.
It always amazes me when accidents happen and the TROLLS appear wanting to place blame on any organization no matter what the circumstances.
There are risks in Scouting, parents are made aware of those risks, and it is their dignity, (The Family that loses a Scout), that shows how well aware they are that accidents can happen. It's sad, but in life there are risks. Deal with them.
These same Trolls should focus on swimming pool deaths which are much higher in number rather than blaming a whole organization that is teaching these youth more values, morals, and leadership skills than any homosexual liberal public CessSchool ever would.
You bet.
You wouldn't want any space between you and the vest that the water could enter.
A strong turbulent current would rip it right off.
Here you go newzjunkey,
/sarcasm
In your words, another life snuffed out by the Air Force, I guess. You see an Airman died while rafting on a trip sponsored by 377th Services Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/06/10/special_reports/travel/21_24_146_8_05.txt
Are you just as prepared to condemn the United States Air Force for this.
Surely you can show me a post condemning the Air Force for snuffing out this Airman.
I mean you have such a concern, you must have posted about this airman's loss as well.
I'll be waiting, but I doubt you have the integrity to admit your hypocrisy.
Pathetic......
Regards,
Sonar5
Where do your parents live? My dad has got a place in Farmington and another one close to Aztec on the river.
That's where my dad has 2 acres and my step sister lives there!
My family and I "chugged" along the Animus just a few days ago. That is one very angry river. I'm surprised anyone rafted in it at this time.
**That's where my dad has 2 acres and my step sister lives there!***
I used to live in Farmington, Kirtland and Aztec. I wish I was back there every day! The Animas can get rough.
Unfortunatly, my worthless brother-in-law (If you know him he probably owes you money)lives there now so I try to stay from there.
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