SWEETWATER COUNTY — A Utah woman lost her life in Flaming Gorge Saturday when the tracked all-terrain vehicle she was riding in went through the ice.

In a joint release issued by Sweetwater County Sheriff Mike Lowell and County Coroner Dale Majhanovich, the victim was identified as 59-year-old Rebecca Weston of Plain City, Utah.

Lowell said Mrs. Weston was part of a family group on an ice fishing outing on the Gorge in the Anvil Draw area south of Green River. At the time of the mishap she was a passenger in the ATV, accompanied by three family members, all of whom were able to escape.

The call reporting that the ATV had gone through the ice came in Saturday afternoon.

Sweetwater County deputy sheriffs and other emergency service units responded to the call, but approaching darkness delayed a diving operation until Sunday morning.

Divers and support personnel from the Sweetwater Dive Team and the Green River Fire Department Ice Rescue Team assembled at Anvil Draw Sunday morning and a team of divers was in the water beneath the ice by 10:30 AM.  At 1:07 PM, Mrs. Weston’s body was located and recovered about 500 yards from the Anvil Draw boat ramp in water at a depth of some 100 feet.

Lowell paid special tribute to members of the Dive Team and Ice Rescue Team.

“These brave men and women perform a service that is dangerous from the moment they step out onto the ice, because operations like this are never without risk,” he said. “Both teams have always been there when the people of Sweetwater County needed them, and they have never let us down. Theirs is a resource that is beyond price, and we are lucky to have them.”

Lowell identified and expressed his thanks to those belonging to both teams participating in Sunday’s recovery operation:

Sweetwater Dive Team

Todd Dulaney

Jack Weimer

Jeanie Weimer

Cory Slane

Kelly Richards

Ray Koivasaari

Todd Dulaney

John King

Kelli King

Sean Kerney

Green River Fire Department Ice Rescue Team

Chief Mike Nomis

Battalion Chief Larry Erdmann

Captain Clint Kendall

Lieutenant Austin Rider

Jason Bernal

Tom Madura

Cliff Walgren