Missing kayaker identified as former Armstrong County woman

A woman who went missing while kayaking in West Virginia on Sunday was identified by authorities Wednesday, but crews said they have been unable to recover her body because of water conditions.

West Virginia Natural Resources Police identified the woman as Jamie Gray, 41, of Hacker Valley, W.Va.

Gray’s personal Facebook page indicates she is from Elderton, Armstrong County. Voter records show she once lived at a Gilpin address.

The accident happened about 1 p.m. Sunday on a remote section of Middle Fork River in Barbour County, according to a news release from Barbour County 911.

The release said authorities received a report that a kayaker was swept under a rock and never surfaced.

Gray had been kayaking with a group of about 10 experienced river runners when the accident occurred, according to an online article Tuesday on MetroNews. The website reported that a couple of people in Gray’s group are swift-water-rescue trained, but when Gray got into distress they could not get to her.

West Virginia Natural Resources Police is handling the investigation.

Lawrence Messina, a spokesman for DNR Police, told the Tribune-Review on Wednesday that water conditions continue to limit recovery efforts.

According to MetroNews, the river is running extremely high, swift and muddy after several days of rainfall, and it’s too dangerous to put anybody in until the waters recede.

“For some perspective: the water level was around 4 feet on Sunday; it was above 9 feet this morning,” Messina said Wednesday.

Police believe Gray is still in the area where she was last seen, according to an online article Tuesday on MetroNews. Her kayak and paddle were recovered. Eyewitnesses said the force of the water apparently pulled off Gray’s life jacket, but Sgt. Mike Spangler of the DNR Police indicated there’s been no sign of it, MetroNews reported.

“The folks with her while they were attempting to help her, they stated they saw her life jacket come out of that hole,” Spangler told MetroNews. “But it wasn’t recovered by anyone as far as I know, so I’m assuming it’s probably downstream somewhere.”

Attempts to reach members of Gray’s family were unsuccessful Wednesday. Messina said DNR Police were able to confirm Gray’s identification “in coordination with the family.”