Searchers hone in on potential location of missing teen

First responders have identified a stretch of the Kootenai River where the victim of a recent drowning at Kootenai Falls may be located.

Less than a week after a 17-year-old boy entered the falls, cadaver dogs, working in boats alongside volunteers with David Thompson Search and Rescue (DTSAR), have potentially picked up the victim’s scent. Terry Crooks, a volunteer with DTSAR, said the finding only gave first responders an approximation of where the body might be located.

“As far as being able to pinpoint in 90 feet of water that is moving, that is really difficult,” Crooks said on July 27.

The section of the river indicated by the cadaver dogs has proven too treacherous for even the most experienced divers owing to extreme turbulence. First responders will continue conducting morning and evening patrols of the river. Authorities have alerted anglers in the area of the drowning and remain on the lookout, said Crooks.

Depending on river conditions, it can take two or three weeks for the body of a victim to emerge from the churning water of the falls.

The search for the teenager began on the evening of July 21, after the boy entered the water while mountain biking with his brother on the north bank of the river. Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short said first responders scoured the area with a boat and two jet skis. Rescue workers on the water received assistance from pilots from Two Bear Air, who flew the river canyon until dark.

Responders with the sheriff’s office, DTSAR, Troy Volunteer Fire Department, Troy Volunteer Ambulance and Montana Highway Patrol, assisted in the initial search. A bystander visiting the falls volunteered his drone to help first responders to comb the area from the air, according to Crooks.

In the days since, local officials have reminded recreationists to take precautions while around the falls. Short cautioned visitors and residents from venturing out on steep stretches of shale along the northern bank of the river. Owing to hidden undercurrents, Short said swimmers should never approach the falls.

Troy Mayor Dallas Carr said he knew of at least a couple people who had lost their lives in the falls. With new residents moving to the county, he worried that some might not realize the dangers that the river could pose.

Crooks asked visitors to take note of the warning signs posted around the falls. The signs reference the dozens of lives already lost in the rapids and urge onlookers to appreciate the river from afar.

“The water in this area is filled with powerful undertows and deceptive currents,” one of the placards reads. “Safely enjoy the view and take the experience home with you to share with family and others.”