17-year-old’s body found hours after he vanished from overturned canoe, Oregon cops say
A 17-year-old’s body was found in an Oregon lake hours after his canoe flipped, deputies said.
Witnesses saw the boy in a canoe on Triangle Lake at about 7:45 p.m. Thursday, July 27, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.
His canoe overturned, and he vanished in the water, deputies said.
Bystanders called for help and began searching for him. He was last seen about 50 feet from a main boat ramp, deputies said.
At about 10:45 p.m. that day, deputies said they found his body in the water. He wasn’t wearing a life jacket, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies have not released his identity.
Triangle Lake is about 35 miles northwest of Eugene.
At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.
Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.
“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”
This story was originally published July 28, 2023 at 6:58 PM with the headline "17-year-old’s body found hours after he vanished from overturned canoe, Oregon cops say."
