Skamania County Sheriff's Office Video shows solid Class III whitewater
Missing hunter in Washington swept away while trying to cross river
The missing hunter was attempting to cross the Muddy River in an innertube when swept away.
By Alex Jensen, KGW8, Portland, OR
November 14, 2024
PORTLAND, Ore. — A search for a missing hunter continues after they were reportedly swept away while trying to cross the Muddy River in Washington.
Around 5:34 p.m. on Wednesday, Skamania County Sheriff's Office received reports the hunter was attempting to cross the river in an inner tube near the Forest Service 8322. Another hunter in the group was also unable to cross and needed assistance.
A search-and-rescue team was able to rescue the hunter trapped on the shoreline around 2 a.m. on Thursday, but the hunter swept away in the swift river was not located. State and federal air assistance were requested, but due to availability and "weather-related issues," neither were able to help at that time, SCSO said. Around 9 a.m., the search for the missing hunter resumed, this time with air assistance from the U.S. Naval Air Station on Whidbey Island, who are now searching the area, SCSO said.
The identity of the missing hunter has not yet been released, but the sheriff's office said that the man was 72 years old and from Southwest Washington.
On Friday, searchers had hoped a break in the weather would give them a look in the air and were able to use their drone. "We're going to capitalize on that the best we can," Detective Jeremy Schultz of SCSO. "Ultimately, we want to help that family out and use as many of the resources available to us as we can to get some closure for them."
Schultz, though, said the likelihood that the hunter survived is very low. SCSO said it will give updates as the search continues.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more details as they emerge.
