The Cashmere resident who lost his life rafting last week has been identified as Robert M. "Mike" Spurrell, 46, he died when his craft capsized in the Wenatchee River.
Chelan County Coroner Wayne Harris, revealed that Spurrell's death resulted from "underlying health issues" that were further complicated by his immersion in the water. The incident occurred near Dryden, with Spurrell and six companions being thrown into the river. Wearing personal flotation devices and wetsuits, Spurrell was not submerged when the raft overturned near the area known as Shark's Tooth. Harris determined that Spurrell's cause of death was primarily attributed to his pre-existing health conditions, exacerbated by the sudden ejection from the raft. The incident was deemed an accident, as Harris emphasized that if Spurrell had not been in that situation, he would have survived.
During the incident, the Wenatchee River's flow reached its highest point of the year at 18,200 cubic feet per second, according to measurements from the U.S. Geological Survey at Monitor. Subsequently, the flow peaked at 19,700 cubic feet per second on Friday. The water temperature at the time of Spurrell's accident, recorded at Monitor, was 46 degrees Fahrenheit.