The Hood River County Sheriff’s Office has presumed dead a man who went missing Wednesday when the fishing boat he was on capsized on the Columbia River near the mouth of the White Salmon River.
Sheriff’s officials identified the boater as Michael Shufeldt of Woodland, Washington and said they are still working to recover his body.
Shufeldt was one of seven people on the boat when “rapidly deteriorating weather conditions” descended on the river and a large wave washed over the stern, sinking the 24-foot vessel Wednesday shortly after 11 a.m., the sheriff’s office said. Rescuers who arrived within 15 minutes of receiving a 911 call plucked six of the people out of the water.
At about 2 p.m. Thursday, the sheriff’s office and the Skamania County Dive Team found the sunken boat under 40 feet of water, but did not find Shufeldt’s body. Additional searches using an underwater remotely operated vehicle did not find his body, either.
Sheriff’s officials described the boat as a commercial guide boat.
Many agencies and people have taken part in the search and recovery, including the Columbia River Intertribal Fisheries Officers, the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue and civilian volunteers.
