MALHEUR COUNTY, Idaho — A male kayaker is missing on the Owyhee River after he was separated from his boat in frigid, fast-moving waters on Saturday. The Malheur County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) received a call related to the disappearance at 6:18 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, at which point a search and rescue effort was launched.
56-year old Allen Lukens has been identified as the missing person.
The Malheur County Sheriff's Office says that Lukens was dropped off by his girlfriend above Snively Hot Springs. The office says she urged Lukens, who was without a personal floatation device at the time, not to get in the water until she arrived at Snively, his planned take-out location.
Later, people who were traveling along Owyhee Lake Road witnessed a man who was floating down the river and separated from their kayak. They attempted to rescue the man, but high water hindered their efforts. They last saw the missing man "just below Snively [Hot Springs]."
MCSO personnel and other nearby agencies arrived on the scene promptly, but darkness prevented their teams from entering the river. They scoured the banks but did not find any sign of Lukens.
“ We have a great community of first responders willing to give of their time and skills to help their community. Thank you to all the agencies supporting this effort.” - Malheur County Sheriff's Office
On Sunday, the MCSO Search and Rescue Team led a search of the area using drones, jet skis, and a swift water raft crew. As of this writing, Lukens remains missing.
The river is currently running high at approximately 2,300 cfs, but managers with the Owyhee Irrigation District plan to drop flows to 350 cfs for 24 hours on Monday to allow search and rescue teams better access to the river. In a press release, the Sheriff's Office writes, "efforts will continue as needed for the next several days."
Volunteers from Adrian QRU, Ontario Fire, and Payette County Technical Rescue, with members from Payette, Fruitland, and New Plymouth Fire, joined the MCSO search effort.
