Two Idaho Falls boaters die after vessel capsizes below Palisades Dam
- Robert Martineau, 73, and Brandon Rainey, 39, both of Idaho Falls, died after a jet boat overturned in the Snake River below Palisades Dam.
- The accident occurred around 10:30 a.m. Aug. 28; three people were aboard.
- A woman escaped unharmed, while one man was pulled from the water and another was trapped beneath the boat.
- Neither victim was wearing a life jacket, although life jackets were aboard.
- Bystanders and nearby boaters provided CPR and alerted emergency responders before official crews arrived.
A jet boat carrying three people overturned near the main outlet of Palisades Dam in the Snake River. Witnesses rescued one man and began CPR, while a woman escaped on her own and was physically unharmed. Sheriff’s office rescue divers located the second man trapped beneath the boat and entangled in a rope after he had been submerged for several minutes. Both men were flown to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, but died despite rescue efforts and hospital treatment. The victims were identified as Robert Martineau, 73, and Brandon Rainey, 39. Authorities said life jackets were on board but not being worn.