A Coeur d’Alene man drowned Saturday afternoon after a boat capsized on the Coeur d’Alene River near Blue Lake, leaving one occupant dead and prompting a water rescue and recovery operation by Kootenai County authorities. Matthew C. Cross, 49, of Coeur d’Alene, was identified as the victim following the incident in Kootenai County.
Deputies with the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene around 4:45 p.m. Saturday after receiving a call about the boating accident. Two people were aboard the vessel when it crashed and overturned, throwing both occupants into the water.
Nearby boaters spotted one of the two people in the water and pulled him to safety. The second boater, later identified as Cross, did not surface. The Kootenai County Dive Team was deployed and located and recovered Cross’s body from the water.
Investigators believe alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash. The Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident and did not immediately release additional details about the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The fatal boating incident adds to a list of serious emergencies that have tested first responders and emergency services across Kootenai County in recent weeks. Water safety officials have long warned boaters to wear life jackets, avoid alcohol while operating vessels, and follow all applicable boating regulations on Idaho waterways.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.