Body Of Missing Georgia Man Recovered

A search is underway in Yellowstone National Park for a young man from Georgia who was swept down the Yellowstone River near Tower Junction Monday evening.

Three young concession employees reportedly used inner tubes to float the Lamar River on Monday. Floating the river is prohibited by park regulations due to safety concerns. Shortly after reaching the confluence of the Lamar and Yellowstone Rivers, two of the men got out of the water. The third man, 22 year old Darien Latty, was last seen about 7:30 p.m. Monday being propelled downstream by the rushing water, without either an inner tube or life jacket.

Initial search efforts Monday evening failed to turn up any sign of Latty, who is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, 140 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Search efforts were increased Tuesday, with a helicopter, 3 dog teams, and several small groups of people searching the Yellowstone River corridor from Tower Junction downstream to Gardiner, Montana. Approximately 50 people had been dedicated to the search effort as of mid-afternoon Tuesday.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Darien Latty is asked to call Yellowstone National Park at 307-344-2642.

The body of a young man missing in Yellowstone National Park since Monday evening has been recovered. Twenty-two year old Darien Latty had gone tubing Monday with friends on the Lamar River near Tower Junction. Shortly after reaching the point where the Lamar River flows into the Yellowstone River, his two companions managed to get to the river's edge and get out of the much faster moving water. Latty was last seen being swept downstream, separated from his inner tube and without a life jacket.

Search efforts began Monday evening. At its peak, over 50 people were involved in the search including a helicopter, three dog teams, and several groups of searchers on foot. Late Friday searchers spotted what they thought was a submerged body pinned to a large rock in a very steep and dangerous section of the Yellowstone River, about 1/4 mile downstream from where Latty was last seen. A swiftwater rescue team from Gallatin County, Montana, was called in Saturday to navigate the river. Using kayaks and a raft anchored to both banks of the river, they were able to dislodge and recover Latty’s body Saturday afternoon. A helicopter was utilized to remove his body from the remote area.

The coroner made a positive identification Saturday evening. Latty, who was from northeastern Georgia community of Demorest, was in Yellowstone working as a summer seasonal employee at Roosevelt Lodge. An autopsy will be conducted to confirm the cause of death.

Floating the river is prohibited by park regulations.