Louisiana man dies in rafting accident near Smith's Ferry

An 85-year-old Louisiana man died in a rafting accident on the North Fork of the Payette River Saturday afternoon.

David Goldsmith of Baton Rouge drowned after a raft carrying six or seven of his family members "slipped," and all occupants were thrown into the river a mile north of Smith's Ferry, according to Valley County Sheriff's dispatch.

The other rafters located Goldsmith five minutes later and began CPR, according to reports. Dispatch received the call at about 2:23 p.m. Cascade Paramedics, Life Flight, the Valley County Sheriff's Office, and Boise National Forest responded to the scene along Idaho 55 and continued CPR, but attempts to revive Goldsmith were unsuccessful.

Goldsmith was wearing a life vest, a dispatcher said.

 

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