A body was found floating in the Willamette River near northwest Portland's industrial waterfront on Thursday morning, turning a quiet stretch of river into the scene of a death investigation, authorities said.
The body was first spotted at about 8:40 a.m. near Portland Fire & Rescue Station 6, according to KGW. The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office responded to recover the body, and the Oregon State Medical Examiner is expected to determine the person's identity and cause of death.
Recovery and investigation
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office operates a River Patrol unit that handles dive and recovery work on both the Willamette and Columbia rivers. Deputies often team up with Portland Fire & Rescue on water recoveries and transfers to the medical examiner, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.
Where it happened
Station 6 sits on the west bank of the Willamette in the Northwest Industrial area and houses Engine 6 and Fire Boat 6. The city's station page notes that Station 6 covers roughly 20 miles of the river and serves a mix of heavy‑industry waterfront and newer residential development, per Portland.gov.
Recent pattern on the river
This recovery comes amid several recent finds in the Willamette. Crews pulled a body near the Steel Bridge earlier this month, and another downtown recovery was reported in late June. Local outlets that covered those separate recoveries include FOX 12 and a report on nighttime 911 calls.
Officials have not released the person's identity or a cause of death, and they say the circumstances remain under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office non‑emergency line at (503) 823‑3333, according to the sheriff's website.
