Rescuers Pull Another Body From the Kern River; Visitors Told to Stay Out of Water

Rafters are dumped into the whitewater of the Ewing’s rapids after they overturned on the Kern River in Kernville in June. (Credit: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: Jul 1, 2017 / 11:40 PM PDT

Updated: Jul 1, 2017 / 11:40 PM PDT

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Authorities pulled another body from the Kern River on Saturday night, the seventh apparent drowning during a treacherous year for the so-called Killer Kern.

The Kern County coroner had not identified the body as of 8 p.m., but sheriff’s search-and-rescue Sgt. Steve Williams said the victim was “obviously dead for a while.”

Yanira Zelaya of Palmdale said her son Jieson Aviles, 20, had found the body while he was fishing near the Keysville South campground, where his family was gathered for the holiday weekend. He returned to camp, and Zelaya called 911.

Zelaya glanced over at her son, who sat bent over, holding his head.

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