Photo: John Rathwell
After 17-year-old Ben Murphy of Bend, Oregon, died in a tragic river surfing accident in May at the Bend Whitewater Park, officials have now announced that they will reopen the park with several safety changes.
According to reports, Murphy died after he was trapped underwater for several minutes. Other surfers attempted to rescue him and remove his foot from one of the panels that actually makes the wave, according to eye-witness reports. He is the only person to die at the park since its opening in 2015.
The park closed immediately after and officials began inspecting the bladder and gate system to see what went wrong and how they could make the park safer. Now, they’ve announced that it will reopen on June 18.
The evaluation of the equipment found that the wave feature had a gap between a solid block and the wave’s gate presented a serious safety flaw. On May 25, park workers installed a piece of equipment called a “sweeper” to close the gap.
Inspectors also determined that Murphy’s use of a leash while surfing may have played a role in his death. Leashes will be prohibited when the park reopens to the public, although OPB.org reported that the rule may be “adjusted in the future.”
Staff is also recommending that park users wear helmets and lifejackets when surfing, as well as potentially installing bladders on the gates so that they’re able to open quickly if necessary. It was also reported that cameras will be installed so that operators are able to constantly keep the river channel in view.
