(Update: Adding video, comments by neighbor)
La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A 22-year-old La Pine woman who died in a paddleboarding incident at Pringle Falls was recovered from the Deschutes River Thursday evening after an extensive search and recovery effort.
Upon arrival to the scene early in the day, authorities said they found the woman “entangled underwater but partially visible.” Deputies with DCSO, Oregon State Police troopers, and La Pine Fire Department personnel say she was in a treacherous location, and they lost sight of her while trying to help.
Her husband was helped out of the water downstream from Pringle Falls by a deputy and members of the Sunriver Fire Department. The woman’s name was not released.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said, “As we head into warmer months, the Sheriff’s Office urges everyone planning to spend time on the water to wear a properly fitted life jacket and to be aware of river conditions before exploring. The Deschutes River and other waterways in our region can be deceptively hazardous, especially during spring runoff or after heavy rains. Please take the time to check current conditions, know your limits and ensure you have the right equipment to stay safe.”
Authorities and area residents know well the dangers of the fast-moving waterway and rapids.
The area around Pringle Falls is a private neighborhood called Wild River. After our report last night, residents from the area reached out to KTVZ. First, they wanted to express their condolences and prayers for the families who lost their loved one. But their other message was that Pringle Falls is not meant for recreation – and for your safety, they urge staying out of the water.
Neighbor Debbie Stitz said, “It should not be promoted as a ‘popular recreation area.’ It is extremely treacherous, the stretch of the river, and people should avoid it at all costs. And I feel that more should be done to prevent these types of accidents by the state, either by posting more signage or even having some kind of a buoy rope going across the river, so they don’t proceed any further.”
Stits says if any extra precautions save just one life, it would be worth the cost. In the 20 years she’s lived in that area, she says she can recall at least five deaths at the falls.
Off-camera, other neighbors told KTVZ News they’ve stopped many people from getting in the river and warned them about the dangers.
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Earlier story:
Lt. Chris Erhardt told KTVZ news late Thursday night that search and rescue teams found the body of the missing woman.
A major multi-agency search effort was underway Thursday afternoon for a missing person in the Deschutes River at Pringle Falls.
Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies told KTVZ News at the scene that two people were recreating at the popular spot west of La Pine, possibly paddleboarding, when one person was rescued, but another was reported missing.
Drones, divers, Search and Rescue volunteers and swift-water rescue teams were part of the extensive search and rescue effort.
Sheriff’s Lt. Joshua Spano said the “911 call came in, and we just amassed forces, everyone from OSP behind me to La Pine Fire to the Forest Service.”
“A person in the water – just in this temperature water, this time of day – we’re going to send a lot of resources out there,” Spano said.
Pringle Falls is a series of rapids on the Deschutes River that drop about 25 feet over a distance of 800 feet. A Deschutes National Forest campground also is located in the area.
