The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office has reported the discovery of a body in the Willamette River late Sunday afternoon. According to the sheriff’s office, the body "appears to have been under water for some time," as per KOIN 6 News. Officials were conducting an intensive search for a kayaker, who was reported to have gone over the Willamette Falls in Oregon City last Saturday night, when the body was found. However, the body is confirmed not to be that of the missing kayaker.
While the search for the missing kayaker was underway, the body was recovered between Swan Island and Cathedral Park. Having been discovered during the search, Deputy Alex Jarmer communicated to KATU that "We have our detectives investigating the body." The body was not immediately identifiable, and the deputies have shared little information, noting they are "very early in the process."
The discovery of this unrelated body has added an unforeseen dimension to the ongoing search for the kayaker. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office remains confident, having detached from the search operation, that there is no link between the body and the missing individual, as per a report from KPTV. As the community awaited word on the fate of the kayaker, the attention had to be divided unexpectedly.
