The National Parks Service offered a grim update regarding Thomas L. Robison, who went missing last month after venturing out with his dog on a homemade raft.
National Park Service (NPS) authorities confirmed in a statement the death of an adventurer who set off with his dog last month down the Colorado River in a homemade raft. The Colorado River is the fifth largest in the United States, spanning 1,450 miles through the Rocky Mountains and into Mexico.
Initial information indicates that the body of 58-year-old New Mexico resident Thomas L. Robison was recovered in the river more than two weeks after he initially disappeared. "On Friday, May 10, National Park Service personnel were notified of a body in the Colorado River near river mile six," the statement read.
The Coconino County Medical Examiner is currently working to confirm the body’s identity. The manner of death is unclear at this time. Likewise unknown is why Robison ventured into the river.
The NPS announced Robison as a missing person late last month. “On April 21, a champagne 2001 Toyota Tacoma belonging to Robison was found abandoned at Lee's Ferry in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area,” the NPS reported on April 24. “It is believed he may have attempted to go down the Colorado River with his dog, who is a Welsh Corgi, on a self-made raft.”
Along with the initial statement were photos of Robison’s raft, which was comprised of three etched wooden boards tied together with ropes. Another photo shows a bearded Robison with his 11-year-old Corgi sitting behind him in a milk crate atop a bicycle.
Robison’s tragic case is being investigated by the National Park Service and the Coconino County Medical Examiner, NPS officials confirmed.
This is a developing story. Check back later for more information.
National Parks Service
