20-year-old Porterville man missing after 'tragic event' at Oregon waterfall

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A antheral from Porterville was identified arsenic the kayaker who went missing implicit the play adjacent Willamette Falls successful Oregon City, arsenic the hunt continues to retrieve his body, authorities said.

The household of 20-year-old Marcelus Angelo Rodriguez said successful a connection that they are "truly devastated" aft learning of this "tragic event."

Rodriguez went missing connected the Willamette River in Oregon City connected April 12, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said. On Thursday, deputies confirmed that the missing antheral was 20-year-old Marcelus Angelo Rodriguez from Porterville.

Investigators learned Marcelus and his household were connected abrogation and arrived successful the country connected Saturday evening. Marcelus was past seen kayaking successful the country and whitethorn not person known the falls were there," the sheriff's bureau said successful a property release.

Shortly aft aggregate 911 callers reported a kayaker successful distress conscionable upstream of the falls successful the precocious evening of Saturday, April 12, "witnesses stated the individual, a lone big male, was seen going implicit the falls and did not resurface," officials said.

In a statement, the household of Marcelus Rodriguez accidental they are "truly devastated" by the tragic event, adding that "our household is making each effort to heal and travel to presumption with our loss."

We would similar to archetypal pass others to ever beryllium alert of their surroundings and to NEVER participate this stream without wearing a beingness overgarment or, astatine the precise least, exercising utmost caution, arsenic the forces of quality tin rapidly go overwhelming and deadly. 

We widen our sincere gratitude to the teams of archetypal responders who rushed to our assistance and proceed to hunt for our boy. We besides convey the locals and fishermen retired connected the h2o who person been watchful and adjuvant during this hard time. The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office has treated america with attraction and compassion, and we are everlastingly grateful for their efforts.

Marcelus loved God, his family, and nature. We anticipation that this tragic mishap tin beryllium avoided successful the aboriginal for different families. May God support ticker implicit Marcelus and bless him always.

Despite an "extensive" hunt effort involving aggregate agencies — including a U.S. Coast Guard chopper and a fixed-wing craft from the Portland Police Bureau — Marcelus has not yet been located.