Second drowning victim found in Yellowstone Park

By:Shawn Baker
Date: 6/18/2002, 12:12 pm

INFORMATION FOR THE MEDIA
CONTACTS: KARLE OR MATTHEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(307) 344-2015 or 344-2010
June 17, 2002

 

SECOND DROWNING VICTIM FOUND IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Yellowstone National Park officials reported today that the body of the second victim (David Graham) of an apparent canoeing accident on Shoshone Lake was recovered at 8:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 16, 2002.

The victims had obtained a backcountry permit for a campsite on the south shore of the lake for June 6 and 7. David Graham (39 years old) and his son, Quinn Graham (12 years old), both of Chubbuck, Idaho, were expected out of the backcountry on June 8. At around 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 7, a group of boaters camping on the lake noticed an overturned canoe along the shore of the lake. They were unable to locate anyone or retrieve the canoe. When the group arrived at Grant Village late Saturday morning, they immediately contacted park rangers to report the incident. Park rangers organized a search, dispatching searchers on foot, by boat, and by helicopter. At around 5 p.m., Saturday, the helicopter located the canoe about one and a half miles north of the outlet of Shoshone Lake. A short time later, they spotted the body of Quinn Graham approximately a quarter of a mile north of the canoe; Quinn was wearing a personal flotation device, but the device was only partially attached. David Graham's personal flotation device, along with other items from the canoe, was found by ground searchers a few hundred yards up shore from his son's body; a search of the victims' campsite and the surrounding area did not indicate that the father had made it back to shore. The search had continued since that time and included searchers from Bridger-Teton National Forest and Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks working with dog teams, helicopters, boats and divers.

Search efforts had been hindered at times because of high winds. On Friday, June 14, evidence was found by searchers and dog teams that led them to send in four divers. However, nothing was found at that time. On Sunday, at approximately 9:30 a.m., the helicopter crew saw the submerged body from the air in Moose Bay. However, high winds prevented them from sending in divers until late evening when a National Park Service diver recovered the body. Mr. Graham's remains were found in about 18 feet of water in the vicinity of Moose Bay. Searchers felt that the victims had probably entered the water near their campsite that was approximately 1/2 mile away.

Preliminary findings list David Graham's cause of death as drowning as a consequence of cold water immersion.

Visitors planning to canoe or boat in the park are urged to wear a personal flotation device while boating (park regulations require a Coast Guard approved "wearable" personal flotation device for each person boating). Sudden storms or winds can come up very quickly on high country lakes and should always be considered a potential threat to safety. Travel close to shore, within a quarter of a mile, on any of the lakes in Yellowstone; make open-water crossings before winds come up. Extremely cold water is also a real danger; the water at Shoshone Lake is currently around 38-42 degrees Fahrenheit.