A woman is dead and five other people had to self-rescue after the group ran "into trouble" on the Colorado River while using recreational watercraft.
In a news release Wednesday, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office said it had responded to a group of six people in need of help on the Colorado River at around 1:45 p.m.
The group had been using a paddleboard, kayak and river raft and ran "into trouble" near the 5th Street Bridge.
Five people with the group were able to self-rescue by making their way to an island. One person on a paddleboard was reported missing, however.
The sheriff's office said a rescue boat was launched and the missing woman was found unconscious and not breathing.
"She was immediately taken to shore, where life-saving measures were performed," the sheriff's office said. The woman was then taken to St. Mary's Hospital.
The remaining five people were helped to shore by rescue crews.
In an update, the sheriff's office said the woman, whose name has not been released, had died.
The Mesa County Coroner’s Office would be responsible for determining the cause and manner of death and would release the person’s name "when appropriate," the sheriff's office said.
"The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office would like to offer our sincere condolences to her family," it said.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are still unclear.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office stressed the importance of wearing life jackets while out on the water. "Also, please do NOT use a leash on a rivercraft unless it has a breakaway feature," it added.
