Man drowns in Middle Fork of the Flathead
Loneman Mountain in Glacier National Park looms above the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. (Hungry Horse News FILE)
Searchers have recovered the body of a man who apparently drowned in the Middle Fork of the Flathead River near Essex.
According to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, the person slipped and fell while attempting to cross the river to camp on the other side around 10 p.m. Sunday night.
The people who reported him missing had to walk to a residence to get phone service. Searchers from the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and North Valley Search and Rescue responded at 3:47 a.m. Monday.
Search and rescue teams, along with Two Bear Air and ALERT searched the river for the man, but were unable to locate him. Searchers again went out Monday morning and were able to locate the man who was deceased.
At this time the name is not being released pending notification of the family.
This is the second incident on local rivers in recent weeks.
Sheriff Brian Heino asked people recreating in or near water to wear life jackets and be familiar with changing river conditions.