INDEPENDENCE, Ore — The search for a teen who went missing while playing in the Willamette River at Riverview Park on Sunday afternoon has transitioned to a recovery mission, according to the Independence Police Department.
Around 5:07 p.m., Polk County Fire District No. 1 and Independence police responded to reports of a teen who disappeared underwater, a social media post stated.
A Linn County dive team searched the river Sunday evening, and dive teams from Multnomah and Lane counties joined the effort Monday morning. On Tuesday, Independence Police Department said recovery efforts for the missing teen has transitioned to boat patrols along the Willamette River.
Riverview Park was closed during the search Monday, but is now open.
Emmanuel Goicochea, a spokesman for the Independence Police Department, said the incident was a somber reminder of the importance of water safety as Oregon continues to bake under a blistering heat wave.
“Tragic incidents like these remind us all that water safety is extremely important, that’s why the city of Independence provides life jackets, (and) many signs that warn about the dangers of the Willamette River and the dangers of swimming during very hot times,” Goicochea said.
It was unclear if the teen was wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident. The missing person's family has remained near the river as search crews continued their work.
Goicochea said the incident has taken a toll on all of those involved.
“This has just been a tough time on our officers, on our firefighters, all of our emergency responders in general, the family as well," he said. "Its just a tragic situation that reminds us to hug our loved ones a bit tighter.”
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Download the KGW News app: Download for iPhone here | Download for Android here
Stream newscasts for free on KGW+ on Roku and Amazon Fire: How to add app to your device here
See a typo in this article? Email web@kgw.com for corrections