Southern California man dies in canyoneering accident

[Iceaxe]

A Monrovia man the sheriff’s department said was canyoneering with friends above Johsondale died in an accident Sunday afternoon.

Kevin Westervoorde, 26, was in an area of the Kern River deemed dangerous and technically challenging.

According to the sheriff’s department, Westervoorde was floating down the river above Carson Falls. He failed to exit the river before the falls and was swept over treacherous rapids, the sheriff’s department said.

The sheriff’s department’s Search and Rescue team and personnel from the US Fire Service recovered Westervoorde’s body from the Kern River, according to the sheriff’s department.

Canyoneering is the sport of exploring canyons using different techniques such as climbing, rappelling, swimming, or rafting.

http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20120806/NEWS01/120806005/Southern-California-man-dies-canyoneering-accident?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage

[Iceaxe]

Monrovia Man Dies in River Canyoneering Accident
The man lost control of his boat on the Kern River and was later found dead, authorities said.
A Monrovia man died in a boating accident on the Kern River in Tulare County on Sunday after his boat went over a waterfall, according to the Tulare County Sheriff's Department.

Kevin Westervoorde, 26, was canyoneering with friends in a "dangerous and technically challenging area" near Carson Falls on Sunday, authorities said in a news release.

"Westervoorde failed to exit the river before the falls and was swept over and into treacherous class V+ rapids," the sheriff's statement reads. "Friends of Westervoorde watched him go over the falls but were unable to assist him due to the force and dangerous flow of the river."

U.S. Forest Service firefighters recovered Westervoorde's body from the river at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

http://monrovia.patch.com/articles/monrovia-man-dies-in-river-canyoneering-accident

[Byron]

I lived in California for most of my life and know that river well...I'm surprised they're not fishing bodies out of there on a weekly basis. The rapids they're talking about are indeed heavy duty.