Body of woman found after Colorado River boat collision; 3 still missing
MOABI REGIONAL PARK, Calif. — Arizona authorities say they have found the body of a woman who was among four people missing after two boats crashed on the Colorado River. Christi Lewis, 51, was found Monday in a section of the river that borders California and Arizona, Mohave County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Anita Mortensen said.
Lewis was a California resident, but her hometown hasn't been determined, Mortensen said.
The search is continuing for the three other missing people. Ten people were injured, with one in critical condition, authorities said.
Authorities say a boat carrying 10 people and another vessel with six people on board collided head-on Saturday night, ejecting more than a dozen people. It occurred between two popular marinas and near Moabi Regional Park, a well-traveled recreation area crowded with people enjoying the Labor Day weekend.
Both boats sank and passing boaters pulled people from the water. None of the people in the two boats were wearing life vests, Mortensen added.
Helicopters were deployed, and authorities scoured the shoreline to try to find them. Divers were sent into the river's waters, which can range from shallow to 30 feet deep.
"These efforts will continue until all of those who are missing and unaccounted for have been located," Schuster told reporters Sunday.
The cause of the crash is being investigated. None of the boaters were wearing life jackets, which aren't required but are recommended by authorities, Shuster said.
On Saturday night, authorities had to temporarily halt the search because it was too dangerous to put divers into the dark waters. Efforts resumed after daybreak Sunday, and authorities closed off the stretch of the river where the search was taking place.
Some of those on the boats apparently were thrown into the water by the force of the collision or jumped, and were swept down the river.
"We had victims of this collision that were located 3 to 5 miles downstream from the original point of impact," said Eric Sherwin, spokesman for the San Bernardino County Fire District in California, which was assisting in the search.
