PAGE, Ariz., Aug. 29, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A houseboat outing on Lake Powell involving nearly 30 people took a disastrous turn Monday afternoon. When it was over, one victim had drowned and two others were severely injured after being cut by boat propellers.
The deceased is identified as Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Kurganov, 20, a Russian national, who was swimming with dozens of other partiers who had gathered on three rented boats in Wahweap Bay near the Castle Rock Cut.
According to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area public information officer Mary Plumb, Kurganov and others began having trouble when they were overcome with high winds and waves.
“Boat operators in the group were able to pick many of the swimmers out of the water, some of whom were near total exhaustion,” Plumb said. “Some of the swimmers were able to get to shore after a five to 10 minute swim.”
“Rangers determined the scope of the incident was larger, including a male and a female with propeller cuts to their legs, three near-drowning victims and one distraught male,” Plumb’s news release said.
Kurganov — who in the first news release was incorrectly identified by only his first and middle name — was recovered by a member of his party in approximately nine feet of water.
A man and woman sustained propeller cuts while bringing him on board one of the boats.
The woman that was cut by the propeller was transported by Classic Helicopter to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George. The man who was cut by the propeller was transported to Banner Page Hospital by National Park Service officials.
The three near-drowning victims refused medical transport.
The case is still under investigation by the National Park Service, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Utah State Parks.
Gephardt Daily will have more on this developing story as information is made available.
