Four people involved in a rafting wreck Monday on the Middle Fork Flathead River survived with the help of a swiftwater rescue team that just happened to be training on the river.

The rafting group included Ryan Zinke, former state senator and retired Navy SEAL; his wife, Lola; and two friends.

“Everything on this one was a miracle in a lot of ways,” said Flathead County Search and Rescue Coordinator Brian Heino, who has been training on the river with about a dozen people from several agencies over the last few days. 

Heino got called out on a search for two people on Flathead Lake before the rafting accident occurred at around 3 p.m., but he was apprised of what happened by his colleagues.

“The amazing part is that in this course, you do scenarios,” Heino said of the swiftwater training. On Monday, the real-life scenario unfolded right in front of trainees on the river near West Glacier.

“I was delighted to help them train, but the unfortunate part is it was cold,” Zinke said. “They are great guys and I was impressed.”

Zinke, from Whitefish, said his group encountered an unexpected, partially submerged log at the “Jaws” rapid about a half mile upstream from West Glacier. The log caught the raft and flipped it.

One man was caught in the current and was swept downstream. Zinke got his wife to the riverbank, while his other friend got to the opposite riverbank.

Zinke flipped over the raft and went in pursuit of his friend downstream.

Heino said trainees were “eddied out” on the riverside when “all of a sudden this cooler comes floating by. And then this guy comes downstream ... They threw him a throw bag and pulled him in.”

A couple of minutes later, Zinke came along in the raft and was pulled to the riverbank.

After learning that two other people were upstream, the accidental responders joined forces with Glacier National Park personnel who assisted in getting to them.

Heino estimates the man who was swept downstream was in the icy water for about 20 minutes. The rafters had no dry suits or wet suits, common gear for river runners at this time of year. 

The weather didn’t make things any easier, with cold wind, snow and rainy conditions all afternoon.

“All of them had life preservers but it was cold,” Heino said. The man who was swept downstream was treated for symptoms of hypothermia.

Heino said he thinks it’s likely that someone could have died if the training team hadn’t been present.

“I’m grateful that they were there,” Zinke said. “A lot of water was moving and it was cold.”

Zinke said he knows the river well after floating it about 20 times before, but he probably should have scouted the rapids ahead of time because of the spring conditions.

“It turned out well. It was a tough day. It’s a reminder that the Middle Fork can be precarious,” he said.

“It was a crazy day,” Heino said. “If I ever flip my raft, that’s what I want to happen. Talk about having everything in the right place at the right time. I’m really appreciative that everything worked out.”

 Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.