A search continued Saturday along the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park for a 21-year-old concession worker who was washed downstream while swimming with friends near the river's confluence with Hellroaring Creek.
Park officials said Feiyang “Isaac” Xiang, of China, was backpacking with four friends on Thursday when he disappeared while swimming in the river.
"Xiang was in the water with two of his companions around 11:45 a.m. when he was pulled away from the shore by the current of the swiftly flowing river. Xiang was struggling to stay afloat as efforts to pull him back to shore were unsuccessful," a park release said. "He was swept downriver into a long stretch of rapids before he disappeared from view."
After the man's companions managed to call 911, rangers responded on horseback and on foot. Initial search efforts Thursday afternoon did not turn up any sign of Xiang, who is described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, 140 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Search efforts were increased on Friday, with approximately 40 people, including a helicopter, two dog teams, and 20 Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park employees actively searching the Yellowstone River corridor.
Comments
This happened last year!! Kid died tubing in the exact same place! It seems as if every year a young worker dies in Yellowstone from either going into areas they aren't supposed to be or doing things they aren't supposed to do(usually a combination of both). Evidently the dangers of this place are not being properly impressed upon these young, and often foreign, seasonal workers. The management must do a MUCH better job of teaching thesekids about the dangers of nature and the CONSEQUENCES for not following the rules. This is one more preventable tragedy.
with the abundant search by air ground showing no results it's possible that the water temp, exhaustion of the struggling, and light frame of the person missing, that his body might be being held in an undercurrent or whirlpool behind a boulder/tree in a heavy current area. If unsearchable by watercraft due to flows small charge explosives may have results in dislodging a body from those inaccessible spots. Stay safe rescuers and searchers, thoughts for all and good luck.
These aren't "kids". They know better but choose to either disregard warnings or safeguards for their personal safety. All accidents are preventable.