Kansas man dies in Colorado River
September 19, 2011 - 3:17 pm
A Kansas man died Sunday on the Colorado River at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, according to the National Park Service.
National Park Service spokeswoman Maureen Oltrogge said a river runner used a satellite phone to report the death to authorities at 1 p.m. Sunday.
"Participants on the river trip reported that two men had been washed out of their boat at Lava Falls," Oltrogge said, adding that one swam to safety. "The second man, later identified as 64-year-old Gary Aus from Leavenworth, Kansas, was swept down river."
Oltrogge said another boat intercepted Aus, who indicated that he was fine and would swim to shore. She said he was later found with his personal flotation device up over his head.
His body was transported to Flagstaff, Ariz., for an autopsy.