Authorities say a Missoula man, George Lee Meltzer, 64 died while fishing the Clark Fork River near Milltown.

Missoula County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Paige Pavalone said the call came in at about 4:30 p.m. Friday.

"A man called 9-1-1 to say his father was drowning," Pavalone said. "A father-son duo was fishing on the Clark Fork River near where the old Milltown Dam used to be. As the two were negotiating a diversion in the river, the man's father flipped over and was dislodged from his boat. After floating downstream for a few yards, the son saw his father slip under the water. The son recovered his father out of the water and brought him to shore where he performed CPR until emergency crews could arrive."

Pavalone said three different agencies responded to the scene just outside Bonner.

"Life Flight, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office and Missoula Rural Fire all responded while the son continued to perform CPR on his father," Pavalone said. "He was Life-Flighted to St. Patrick Hospital where he was declared dead. The cause of death is suspected to be drowning, but the official report has not yet been filed."

Missoula County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Paige Pavalone

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