34-year-old man swept away while rafting on American River identified by Sacramento coroner

A man who fell into the American River and drowned while rafting with a large group Saturday has been identified by the Sacramento County Coroner's Office.

Zongchar Moua, 34, was aboard a raft near the Clay Banks in Rancho Cordova when he was swept away by fast currents, said Battalion Chief Parker Wilbourn, a spokesman for the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. Moua was not wearing a life jacket when he disappeared underwater.

Authorities deployed two helicopters, divers using sonar and other methods to comb the area Saturday and Sunday. The man's body was found Sunday morning.

The coroner said Moua died Sunday. The cause of his death is undetermined pending a further autopsy.

Residents seeking respite from sweltering temperatures should wear life jackets before jumping into Capital Region waterways. Rescue devices are available at several river access points and fire departments. A heavy snowpack in the Sierra has resulted in higher and faster-flowing river levels than usual for this time of year.