Teen Presumed Drowned After Jumping Off Bridge

Hood River, Ore. – A 19-year-old remains missing and is presumed to have drowned after being swept away by the currents of the Columbia River, according to the Hood River Sheriff’s Department (HRSD). Despite extensive search operations conducted by the HRSD, U.S. Coast Guard, and local tribal agencies, the teenager’s body has not yet been located.

As of Wednesday evening, recovery efforts have been temporarily suspended and are scheduled to resume on Thursday, focusing on locating and retrieving the missing teen. Deputy Joel Ives of the Hood River Sheriff’s Department confirmed this information when speaking with our news partner KGW News.

The incident occurred around 1:15 p.m. when the HRSD received a distress call reporting the disappearance of a teenager who had jumped off the Bridge of the Gods footbridge, situated between the boat launch area and Thunder Island, while in the company of a group. The strong currents swiftly carried the teen away from the area and into the Columbia River.

The U.S. Coast Guard joined the search effort promptly, with the Air Station Astoria helicopter aircrew and other collaborating agencies assisting in the search in Cascade Locks, Oregon. However, at 6:44 p.m., the Coast Guard announced that local tribal agencies and personnel would continue the search for the missing teen, while their own search operations would be suspended until new information emerged. The Coast Guard extended their heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of the missing individual during this incredibly challenging time.

Cascade Locks Fire and EMS also responded to the scene, as indicated in a Facebook post earlier in the afternoon. Alongside the post, a concerned Facebook user named Jim Clark described the conditions at Thunder Island as “dangerous” and mentioned witnessing a near-drowning incident involving a dog on Wednesday.