Saturday, May 24th, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Lootpress
  • News
    • Breaking
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Consumer
    • Election 2024
    • Local
    • Entertainment
    • Health
    • National
    • Politics
    • West Virginia News
    • Kentucky News
    • North Carolina News
    • Ohio News
    • Pennsylvania News
    • South Carolina News
    • Virginia News
    • Weather News
  • County
    • Barbour County
    • Berkeley County
    • Boone County
    • Braxton County
    • Cabell County
    • Clay County
    • Greenbrier County
    • Fayette County
    • Jackson County
    • Kanawha County
    • Logan County
    • Mason County
    • McDowell County
    • Mercer County
    • Mingo County
    • Monroe County
    • Nicholas County
    • Putnam County
    • Raleigh County
    • Randolph County
    • Summers County
    • Wyoming County
  • Lifestyle
    • Pet of the Week
    • WV Tourism
      • Charleston CVB
      • Huntington CVB
      • Morgantown CVB
      • New River Gorge Tourism
      • Visit Southern WV Tourism
  • Editorials
  • Calendar
  • About Us
    • Meet The Team
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Breaking
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Consumer
    • Election 2024
    • Local
    • Entertainment
    • Health
    • National
    • Politics
    • West Virginia News
    • Kentucky News
    • North Carolina News
    • Ohio News
    • Pennsylvania News
    • South Carolina News
    • Virginia News
    • Weather News
  • County
    • Barbour County
    • Berkeley County
    • Boone County
    • Braxton County
    • Cabell County
    • Clay County
    • Greenbrier County
    • Fayette County
    • Jackson County
    • Kanawha County
    • Logan County
    • Mason County
    • McDowell County
    • Mercer County
    • Mingo County
    • Monroe County
    • Nicholas County
    • Putnam County
    • Raleigh County
    • Randolph County
    • Summers County
    • Wyoming County
  • Lifestyle
    • Pet of the Week
    • WV Tourism
      • Charleston CVB
      • Huntington CVB
      • Morgantown CVB
      • New River Gorge Tourism
      • Visit Southern WV Tourism
  • Editorials
  • Calendar
  • About Us
    • Meet The Team
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Lootpress
No Result
View All Result

Two people drown while whitewater rafting in Fayette County

Staff Reports by Staff Reports
Tuesday, September 12, 2023 12:50 pm

FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Two people drowned during the opening of Gauley Season on two separate days.

The first accident occurred on Thursday, September 7, on a training day for raft guides when a private rafting party flipped near the Class V Iron Ring Rapid, throwing all three boaters into the river.  Two of the party were able to swim ashore; however, one of the boaters, 62-year-old Norman LaHugh Cassell of Richmond, Virginia, appeared to be unconscious in the water. Off-duty commercial rafting guides pulled Caswell from the water, who began CPR, with Rangers and EMS arriving on the scene to assist.  He was pronounced dead shortly after the ambulance arrived on the scene, with the exact cause of death unknown, pending investigation by the WV Office of the Medical Examiner.

See also  Fayette County couple facing animal cruelty charges

The second accident occurred on Saturday, September 9, with NPS Rangers receiving a report around 12:30 p.m. that a commercial rafting customer had been swept under a rock. Upon arriving on scene, it was confirmed that the individual had fallen out of the raft and was believed to be entrapped at a known undercut rock called Shipwreck Rock. The raft had not flipped, and no other members of the trip had fallen from the boat.

An emergency flow reduction of the Gauley River coming from Summersville Dam was immediately requested, and rescuers remained on site throughout the afternoon as river levels dropped. Extreme high-water inflow from tributary streams, however, made water levels on the Gauley too high to attempt a recovery. 

See also  Fayette County man facing charges after attacking his brother

The park is currently in a holding pattern, with conditions being monitored to determine when tributary streams have dropped enough to enable a safe recovery attempt. 

The victim is 63-year-old Lee Lenora Doyle, from Monterey, Virginia.

Agencies involved in rescue and recovery efforts include Ansted, Oak Hill, and Fayetteville Volunteer Fire Departments, Jan Care Ambulance, WV Division of Natural Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fayette County Rope Rescue Team, and Beaver Volunteer Fire Department Dive Team.

Don't Miss

West Virginia Hosts Global Cyber Warfare Simulation: Locked Shields 2025 Trains Thousands in Real-Time Defense
Featured

West Virginia Hosts Global Cyber Warfare Simulation: Locked Shields 2025 Trains Thousands in Real-Time Defense

4 hours ago
PHOTO BY: Pocahontas County Parks and Recreation
Crime

Caught on Camera: WV Park Vandal Turns Joyride into a Costly Mistake

5 hours ago
Fayette County Bar Lockdown Triggered by Drunken Threat Over Coin Payment
Featured

Fayette County Bar Lockdown Triggered by Drunken Threat Over Coin Payment

5 hours ago

Community Calendar

Lootpress brings you the latest news in Southern West Virginia and around.

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter Youtube

Recent News

West Virginia Hosts Global Cyber Warfare Simulation: Locked Shields 2025 Trains Thousands in Real-Time Defense

West Virginia Hosts Global Cyber Warfare Simulation: Locked Shields 2025 Trains Thousands in Real-Time Defense

May 24, 2025
PHOTO BY: Pocahontas County Parks and Recreation

Caught on Camera: WV Park Vandal Turns Joyride into a Costly Mistake

May 24, 2025
  • About
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

© 2024 Lootpress - Your News, Now! - Occidental Imports & Exports Company dba Lootpress

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Breaking
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Consumer
    • Election 2024
    • Local
    • Entertainment
    • Health
    • National
    • Politics
    • West Virginia News
    • Kentucky News
    • North Carolina News
    • Ohio News
    • Pennsylvania News
    • South Carolina News
    • Virginia News
    • Weather News
  • County
    • Barbour County
    • Berkeley County
    • Boone County
    • Braxton County
    • Cabell County
    • Clay County
    • Greenbrier County
    • Fayette County
    • Jackson County
    • Kanawha County
    • Logan County
    • Mason County
    • McDowell County
    • Mercer County
    • Mingo County
    • Monroe County
    • Nicholas County
    • Putnam County
    • Raleigh County
    • Randolph County
    • Summers County
    • Wyoming County
  • Lifestyle
    • Pet of the Week
    • WV Tourism
      • Charleston CVB
      • Huntington CVB
      • Morgantown CVB
      • New River Gorge Tourism
      • Visit Southern WV Tourism
  • Editorials
  • Calendar
  • About Us
    • Meet The Team
    • Contact Us

© 2024 Lootpress - Your News, Now! - Occidental Imports & Exports Company dba Lootpress