Warden service continues probe of fatal rafting incident
Game wardens continue to investigate the fatal commercial rafting incident in West Forks Plantation on June 3 that claimed the life of Richard Sanders, 67, of York.
Sanders died Saturday afternoon after being ejected from a raft on the Dead River that was on commercial rafting trip guided by North Country Rivers based out of Bingham. Game wardens responded shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday.
Cpl. John MacDonald, spokesman for the Maine Warden Service, reported that Sanders was in a raft carrying seven passengers, including the guide. MacDonald said game wardens say all passengers were ejected when the raft flipped on a remote portion of the river called Mile Long Rapid and that some witnesses indicated Sanders might have been submerged in the river for several minutes.
MacDonald said Sanders was pulled from the water and lifesaving measures were performed by North Country Rivers employees as well as civilians. Those attempts were unsuccessful.
Sanders was wearing a lifejacket as required by law and helmet as required by the rafting company’s policy, according to game wardens.
West Forks Fire and Rescue as well as the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department assisted on scene.
The Waterville Sentinel reported there were five rafts running tightly together in the commercial rafting trip and that when the raft carrying Sanders flipped, the remaining rafts performed a rescue.
The newspaper reported that the rafting company suspects “some kind of health problem” might have contributed to Sanders’ death due to what it characterized as a quick rescue effort.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family,” the company said in a statement reported by the Waterville Sentinel.
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