This is a very sad outcome. Given the details of their story, it also seems these men were astoundingly unprepared for what they were getting into.

They were planning on paddling a completely committed, class III-IV run in a log raft. They did the trip in April, when the water temps are at best in the 40's - and the air temp was about the same. They didn't have helmets, wetsuits, or even PFDs! Neither had any whitewater experience, and they didn't get the mandatory permit from the rangers.

They were in a gorge where the only way out is by boat, in a homemade log raft, with no safety gear, knowledge, or experience, and without letting the rangers know they were there.

With the low flows in the Narrows, I suspect they died of hypothermia instead of flush drowning. Those flows would require a lot of portaging, lots of hopping in and out of water. Without proper gear and lows below freezing, that seems most likely.

Condolences to their family and friends. Hopefully others will learn from this tragedy and avoid repeating it.