PORTLAND, Ore. — A man boating on the Columbia River drowned on Saturday afternoon after falling overboard, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.
The agency's river patrol responded to a 911 call shortly before 2 p.m. on Saturday from a boat near Government Island. The caller reported that a man fell out of the boat, went under the water and never resurfaced.
Boats from MCSO, the Vancouver Fire Department, Portland Fire & Rescue and Port of Portland Fire all took part in the initial response, followed by a boat and helicopter from the U.S. Coast Guard.
The sheriff's office said that search efforts went on for an hour, but were unsuccessful. After that, responders determined that he had drowned and they transitioned to a recovery mission for his body.
"Unfortunately, that effort was also unsuccessful," the agency said in a statement. "MCSO divers reported very strong currents near the bottom of the river, which made it likely that the man’s body was washed down river."
After interviewing witnesses, investigators reported that the man was intoxicated when he fell overboard and was not wearing a life jacket. He is not being identified until his next of kin has been notified.
