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Christine Lewis: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

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Christine Lewis

Facebook Christine Lewis was identified as one of four people missing after two boats collided on Saturday on the Colorado River.

Christine Lewis, of Visalia, California, was found dead after a boat crash on the Colorado River Saturday afternoon. Lewis is the first victim identified Monday after two boats collided on head-on and sank, leaving 13 injured and three missing.

Officials identified Lewis, 51, of Visalia, Calif., but released no other information about her. Here’s what you need to know about the crash:

1. 16 People Were Thrown Into Fast-Moving Waters After Two Boats Collided on the Colorado River

Lewis was missing since about 8 p.m. Saturday, when a northbound Hallet boat carrying 10 people collided with a southbound Sleekcraft, which carried six people, according to officials. The crash occurred on the border of California and Arizona, north of Lake Havasu, between Pirates Cove and Topock Marina, according to the Las Angeles Times. The crash site was near Moabi Regional Park.

According to the LA Times, all 16 people were throw into the “fast-moving” river as the boats sank. The boats were moving close to 50 mph, according to an emergency dispatcher. Several people were rescued immediately by other boaters, and one critially injured woman was airlifted to a Las Vegas hospital, according to officials. Nine others were taken to area hospitals.

2. Authorities Aren’t Sure if Speed Played a Role in the Accident

Anita Mortensen, a sheriff’s spokeswoman, said that investigators haven’t yet determined if speed played any role in the accident.

“We haven’t come up with anything on contributing factors yet,” she said, adding that efforts are focused on finding the missing boaters. “Once they are located, then we can continue pursuing that information.”

Lewis and the three people still missing, had been riding in the Hallet, officials said. Lewis’ body was recovered about 7:30 a.m. Monday morning, according to officials.

The three others still missing, two other women and a man, are presumed dead.

3. Nobody on Board The Boats Was Wearing a Life Jacket

The river was packed with families and visitors celebrating Labor Day weekend. According to Mohave County Sheriff Doug Schuster, it is not a requirement for boaters to wear life jackets, although they advise them to do so.

“It is not mandated that they do, though we encourage it,” Schuster said Sunday.

Nobody on the boats were wearing life jackets, according to Schuster.

4. Lewis Was a Nurse at Kaweah Delta Medical Center

The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office said Lewis’ body was located downstream of Topock, Arizona, near the California border.

Lewis, often known as “Chrisi,” was a nurse who headed up the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Kaweah Delta Medical Center. She was remembered for dedication to her work and passion for her patients, Kaweah Delta Chief Executive Officer Gary Herbst said in a statement.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who knew Chrisi Lewis and to the family and friends still searching the river for their loved ones,” Herbst said. “She loved her patients, she was an invaluable team member, and she will be greatly missed.”

Not much else is known about Lewis at this time; Heavy will continue to update as more information is released.

5. Dozens of Crew Members Continue to Search for the Missing Boaters

More than 60 crew members from Arizona and California continued to search on boats at sunrise Monday, tracking their progress with a computer program that mapped the riverbed, according to USA Today.

Two helicopters searched by air, and divers were sent out into the river’s waters, which can range from shallow to 30 feet deep, USA Today reports.

The sheriff’s office said it would continue to patrol the river “until all the unaccounted for passengers are located.”

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