A 54-year-old man went missing Sunday night after rescuing a 5-year-old who was struggling to stay afloat in the Columbia River, according to the Vancouver Fire Department.
The fire department responded to a water-rescue call at Wintler Park around 8:48 p.m. Witnesses at the scene said they saw the man successfully rescue the child, but then he “went under the water” and was not seen again, according to the Vancouver Fire Department.
A search-and-rescue effort included swimmers from Vancouver Fire Department and Clark County Fire Department, Vancouver’s Fire Boat, Portland Fire & Rescue’s rescue boat and the US Coast Guard.
By 10:39 p.m., search-and-rescue operations were suspended and have since been turned over to the U.S. Coast Guard and the Vancouver Police Department.
The man and child have not been publicly identified by police or the fire department, and the child’s condition remains unknown.
Earlier that day, authorities responded to a separate missing swimmer report, this one near Carver Park in Clackamas County.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office responded to the water-rescue call around 6:45 p.m. A woman said her husband had gone underwater in the Clackamas River and had not resurfaced for 30 minutes.
Members of the Clackamas County Water Rescue Consortium, including Clackamas Fire and American Medical Response, searched for the missing man. Around 7:15 p.m., they located the man, who had drowned, and recovered his body.
The man has not been publicly identified by police.
Rivers and lakes are popular recreation spots in the summer months, and drowning cases tend to increase in the hot season. Officials urge people to wear life jackets, as even experienced swimmers can struggle in the current and cold water, and to practice water safety.
