This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A 21-year-old man was presumed drowned after he fell Wednesday into the Colorado River near the Gold Bar recreation area in Grand County.
The man was part of a group of geology students from the University of Texas at El Paso that arrived in the area Tuesday, the Grand County Sheriff's Office reported Wednesday night.
Six people in the group had walked across the river, approximately 50 yards, to an island directly across from the recreation area. At about 4:40 p.m., the 21-year-old tried to walk across the river to the island, but he slipped or fell attempting to walk across and was swept downstream, the news release said. Those on the island tried to swim to his location to rescue him but could not find him, police said.
Crews searched with boats, a helicopter and divers but did not find him. The search is scheduled to resume Thursday with boats and divers.
The recreation area is next to the river along State Road 279, about 10 miles from the intersection of State Road 191.