What appears to be an adult body was recovered Monday from the Columbia River near Kelley Point Park in North Portland, with officials releasing only a trickle of information as the Multnomah County Medical Examiner prepares to examine the remains.
Recovery and investigation
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said its River Patrol Unit recovered the body along the shoreline at Kelley Point Park, where the Columbia and Willamette rivers meet. Deputies planned to move the remains to a nearby private dock so the medical examiner could take custody and determine the person's identity and cause of death, according to KGW.
Where it happened
Kelley Point Park sits at Portland’s northern tip at the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers and offers trails, beach access and wide river views. The city notes the park’s location and amenities on its parks page, and the confluence can create strong currents and limited access points along the shoreline, according to Portland Parks & Recreation.
River recoveries in recent weeks
This is the latest water-related incident investigators have handled this spring. Earlier in April, authorities recovered a body from the Willamette River near downtown Portland and the Multnomah County Dive Team responded. Multnomah County documents note that the River Patrol and Dive Team handle search and recovery across about 100 miles of county waterways, which include the Columbia and Willamette, per KXL.
What to expect next
Officials say they will hold back further information until the medical examiner completes the examination and next of kin are notified. As reported by KGW, “officials said they had no other details to release” while the investigation is under way.
