Deceased Paddleboarder Pulled from Columbia Near Hood River
Anyone who has been on the river, or even just driven I-84 toward Portland knows the Columbia River in the Gorge can be dangerous.
Paddleboarder falls off without life vest, drowns
The Skamania, WA Sheriff's Department now says a woman pulled from the river near Viento State Park on the Oregon side was not wearing a life jacket or vest. Skamania is the county that borders much of the river on the WA side, between Yakima and Klickitat Counties.
Saturday morning, the SCSO got an emergency call from the Hood River County Oregon Sheriff's Department, requesting dive and rescue assistance from their river patrol team.
A 40-year-old woman was paddleboarding in the area, and searchers learned she'd fallen off. Seven divers and other rescuers began to search, and around 10:30 her body was located about 150 yards from shore, in 15 feet of water. The SCSO says this is clearly a case where a life vest or jacket would have changed the outcome.
It would have at least kept her afloat long enough for others to help rescue her. Rescuers say even in summer, the Columbia is cold, has tricky currents, undertows, and even strong swimmers can quickly find themselves overwhelmed.
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Gallery Credit: Anuradha Varanasi
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