The identity has been released of the man who died Saturday after his inflatable kayak capsized on the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument. The man has been identified as 66-year-old Michael Brinks from Craig, Colorado. The accident happened at about 2:00pm on July 15th. The man was on a two-person private trip using inflatable kayaks on the Yampa River when the kayaker hit a rock in Tepee Rapid and capsized. The man was wearing a personal flotation device but never resurfaced. “The reporting party kayaked 24 miles downstream to Hells Canyon Ranch to report the incident,” shares the Monument press release. “Monument staff were contacted just
before 9:00pm on Saturday evening
. Search and rescue efforts were launched
Sunday morning
.” Because of the accident’s remote location and low water levels, a helicopter was used to aid in the response. The kayaker’s body was found
at 11:40am Sunday morning
about 3 miles downstream from where he had last been seen. The recovered body was transported to the Moffat County Coroner.
