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Local rafting accident victim still missing
http://www.reviewindependent.com/articles/1948/1/Local-rafting-accident-victim-still-missing/Page1.html
Review Staff

 
By Review Staff
Published on 05/12/2009
 
The body of a Wapato man has been recovered and a Toppenish man is still missing but also feared drowned, after a raft in which they were riding overturned while floating the river May 9, with two other young men.

The body of a Wapato man has been recovered and a Toppenish man is still missing but also feared drowned, after a raft in which they were riding overturned while floating the river May 9, with two other young men.
The Yakima County Coroner’s office released the identity of Roberto Ramirez, 20, whose body was discovered by citizens conducting a search in the river Monday, at about 12:30 p.m.
The identity of the other missing man had not been released at press time.
Two brothers from Wapato who were also in the raft were able to reach safety after the accident.
According to a Yakima County Sheriff’s  report, the four young men began floating the Naches River at 16th Avenue and Highway 12.
They floated into the Yakima River, past Yakima, and eventually went over the Wapato low head dam, at which time all four were thrown into the water.
It was reported that all of the individuals were wearing personal floatation devices.
The initial report came in when a Washington State Patrol Trooper picked up one of the two Wapato brothers on Interstate 82 at approximately mile post 39 just south of Union Gap, at about 8 p.m..
Rescue units from the Yakima Fire Technical Rescue, which consists of members of the Yakima, Union Gap, Naches, East Valley and Yakima Training Center Fire Departments, the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office Water Response Team, Yakima County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, and law enforcement units from the Sheriff’s Office, Union Gap Police Department, Wapato Police Department, and Yakama Tribal Police responded.
Rescue teams located a raft, seat cushions and a life jacket in the turbulence below the dam. 
Members of the Sheriff’s Water Response Team located one of the missing Wapato brothers at approximately 9 p.m. on an island just southwest of the dam. 
The search continued along the banks of the river for the other two missing individuals until about 3 a.m., then continued May 10. 
The Wapato brothers were transported Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital for treatment of possible hypothermia.