Married couple found dead floating down Arizona river after woman fell in and husband tried to save her

Cindy Bowers, 68, and Anthony Beringer, 59, died while kayaking on Arizona’s Salt River after becoming stranded and being swept downstream. Police believe Beringer was calling for help after his wife, who could not swim, got into trouble; the deaths have prompted warnings about dangerous river conditions.

The couple were in an inflatable kayak and were not wearing life jackets. Deputies found Bowers at about 2.11pm on 31 October, then found Beringer’s body upstream around 45 minutes later. Heavy rain and increased releases from nearby dams had raised water levels, with a flood warning in place around the river until 7 November; the deaths remain under investigation.