Tow rope tangled in propeller drags 72-year-old wakeboarder to his death, officials say

A 72-year-old wakeboarder died in a bizarre accident on the Columbia River, Oregon sheriff’s officials told news outlets.

The man’s tow rope became entangled in the boat propeller, dragging him under the boat near Government Island around 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office told KPTV.

The man suffered a traumatic head injury and was trapped underwater beneath the boat for about five minutes before being pulled out, KOIN reported.

He was pulled onto the deck, where rescuers pronounced him dead, sheriff’s officials told KGW.

“It’s not uncommon for a tow rope to get caught in the propeller of a boat. That does happen,” John Plock, public information officer for the sheriff’s office, told the station. “It doesn’t normally end this way.”

The man’s identity was not released, KPTV reported.

Government Island is about a 15 mile drive northeast from downtown Portland.

This story was originally published August 5, 2024 at 2:43 PM with the headline "Tow rope tangled in propeller drags 72-year-old wakeboarder to his death, officials say."