GRAND COUNTY, Colo. — The body of a rafter who went missing after capsizing on the Colorado River in June 2024 was located nearly one year later.
The Grand County Sheriff's Office (GCSO) said its communications center received a text to 911 around 3:40 p.m. on Saturday, June 1, 2024, about a person who was not breathing on the Colorado River in the Gore Canyon, located southwest of Kremmling.
Multiple agencies, including Grand County Search and Rescue, Grand County EMS and the Bureau of Land Management, responded to the area since it was on the Grand County/Eagle County line. While en route, first responders learned that a raft had capsized, sending three people into the water. A bystander was performing CPR on one man, while a second man was still missing.
The man who received medical aid sadly passed from his injuries. He was later identified as Brent Boulder, 56, of Aurora.
The missing man was identified as Thomas Russell, 61, of Littleton. The Grand County Sheriff's Office at the time said the two men were not wearing personal flotation devices (PFDs).
The third person from the group safely exited the river and was accounted for. It is unclear if they were wearing a PFD.
- Watch our June 2024 report of the incident in the video player below
First responders used rafts, ground crews, and drones to search for Russell but were unable to find him. Search and rescue crews returned to the area on June 2, 2024, but were still unable to find him.
On Wednesday, the Grand County Sheriff's Office announced it had located Russell's body. The sheriff's office said it was contacted by the Eagle County Sheriff's Office on May 21 after a body was found in the Colorado River near Rancho Del Rio.
In its announcement, GCSO said the discovery happened after a "significant decrease" in water levels in the area.
The Grand County Coroner's Office eventually identified Russell using dental records. His next of kin was notified.
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