An unidentified man drowned in the Columbia River near Fairview while attempting to help a teenage relative with a fishing line.
An unidentified man drowned in the Columbia River near Fairview on Monday afternoon while fishing with two teenage relatives at Chinook Landing Marine Park. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office reported that the man, referred to as "the uncle," went underwater at approximately 3:11 p.m. and failed to resurface. Deputy John Plock, spokesperson for the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, stated that the incident likely began when a fishing line became caught on a log. One of the teenagers entered the water to free the hook and encountered difficulty, prompting the man to dive in to assist. While the teenager returned safely to shore, the man remained submerged. Gresham firefighters, Vancouver Fire, and American Medical Response arrived on the scene to begin the search. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office dive team recovered the man's body from the beach near the western edge of the park around 6:10 p.m. Authorities noted that the man was a strong swimmer and advised the public to remain cautious of cold water temperatures.