Body Recovered, Man Identified After South Umpqua River Drowning
Body of a man who went under in the South Umpqua River near Portland Avenue on Feb. 27 was recovered March 2 by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team. He was identified as 46-year-old Johnathon Michael Laine of Roseburg. The case remains under investigation as a boating incident.
ROSEBURG, Ore. — The body of a man who went under in the South Umpqua River near Portland Avenue last week has been recovered and identified, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials said divers with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team located the man on Monday, March 2, during a follow-up search effort that began around 8 a.m. Deputies and Search and Rescue volunteers were working the same stretch of river where the man was last seen on Friday morning.
A diver found the victim at about 12:47 p.m., roughly 75 feet downstream from the point where he disappeared, authorities said. The man was recovered from the river and taken to the Douglas County Medical Examiner’s Office, where he was identified as 46-year-old Johnathon Michael Laine of Roseburg.
The incident stems from a 911 call reported at about 7:23 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, when dispatchers received reports of a man stranded in the middle of the river and yelling for help. Responders located him in the water near Portland Avenue, and rescue boats were sent to the area, including resources from Central Douglas Fire & Rescue, Oregon State Police and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said the rescue was complicated by swift current and required access by boat. As boats moved into position, the man lost his grip and was carried downstream. Deputies attempted to reach him with a rescue rope, but the effort was unsuccessful, and he went under and did not resurface, officials said.
Search efforts continued for several hours Friday without locating him. The follow-up operation on Monday led to the recovery.
Investigators said they believe the incident began when the man attempted to cross the river using a raft, propelling himself with a stick. The case remains under investigation and is being treated as a boating incident. The sheriff’s office said no further updates are expected.
Agencies that assisted during the response included Oregon State Police, Douglas County Search and Rescue, Central Douglas Fire & Rescue, Roseburg Fire Department and Umpqua Valley Ambulance.
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