Empty Kayak Found After Kayaker ‘In Distress’ Goes Over Oregon Waterfall

Only an empty kayak has been found after a kayaker “in distress” went over an Oregon waterfall Saturday night, officials said.

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said multiple 911 callers reported seeing a kayaker in distress on the Willamette River, just upstream of Willamette Falls in Oregon City, shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday. A short time later, witnesses reported the kayaker, a lone man, went over the falls and did not resurface.

Emergency responders from multiple nearby fire departments and law enforcement departments responded to the scene, and were supported by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft from the Portland Police Bureau.

At around 7:15 a.m. Sunday, the Coast Guard located the blue hard-shell kayak witnesses reported seeing the man using. The kayak was recovered by members of the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office Marine Unit.

The search for the man continued Sunday with ground, water, drone and other aerial resources.

The sheriff’s office said the kayaker’s identity is being withheld as his family has requested privacy.