OREGON CITY, OR — A coordinated search remains underway for a missing kayaker who was last seen going over Willamette Falls late Saturday night.
At approximately 10:52 p.m. on April 12, multiple 911 callers reported a kayaker in distress on the Willamette River just upstream of the falls. Witnesses stated that the individual, an adult male, went over the falls and did not resurface.
Emergency personnel from the Clackamas County Water Rescue Consortium—including the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit, Clackamas Fire District, Lake Oswego Fire Department, and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue—initiated a coordinated search. Ground support was provided by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Canby Police Department, Oregon City Police, and West Linn Police Department. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and a Portland Police Bureau fixed-wing aircraft also supported the operation.
The search resumed on the morning of Sunday, April 13. At approximately 7:15 a.m., the U.S. Coast Guard located and recovered the subject’s blue hard-shell kayak. Marine and aerial drone resources, along with Clackamas Search and Rescue volunteers, remain active in the effort.
UPDATE (April 14, 2025):
The missing kayaker has been identified as a 20-year-old man from California. The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team and Marine Unit continue coordinated efforts to recover the individual. The kayak was located near Elk Rock Island, approximately 7.5 river miles downstream from Willamette Falls.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone recreating on the Willamette River between Oregon City and Milwaukie to report any items or information that could assist in the ongoing search.
The identity of the kayaker has not been publicly released at the request of the family, who has also asked for privacy and no media contact. Additional updates will be provided when available.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 503-723-4949 or submit information online at www.clackamas.us/sheriff/tip.