Sheriff's Office responds to water rescue on Sandy River

Please reference case #24-015210

At approximately 11:44 a.m. on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, multiple individuals called 911 to report a possible drowning at Dodge Park on the Sandy River, in the vicinity of 11021 SE Lusted Rd in unincorporated Clackamas County.

The callers indicated that a male teenager had gone underwater and had not resurfaced.

Members of the Clackamas County Water Rescue Consortium, including Clackamas Fire District #1 and deputies from the Sheriff’s Office Water Rescue Team, entered the river upon arrival to search for the victim.

During the search, a helicopter pilot from a local aviation company became aware of the incident while flying nearby. The pilot provided crucial assistance by locating the victim while the helicopter hovered over the water, precisely alerting rescuers to the victim's exact location.

Rescuers pulled the victim from the water and immediately administered life-saving measures. He was then transported to a local hospital for further treatment.

The name of the victim is not being released because he is a juvenile.

The Sheriff's Office urges all community members to exercise caution when engaging in water activities, particularly during the summer months when water levels and currents can be unpredictable. Despite the warm weather, our deputies are still seeing cold water temperatures on the Sandy River. Even in late July, due to glacier runoff, the Sandy River's temperature measures below 60º, with silt providing poor visibility that can make it difficult to judge both depth and current.

The Clackamas County Water Rescue Consortium consists of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Clackamas Fire District #1, the Lake Oswego Fire Department, and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue.
 
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Sergeant Ross Clemson, Public Information Officer

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office

Communications Unit