Portland brothers drown at Kelley Point Park
Originally published September 5, 2011 at 7:58 p.m., updated September 5, 2011 at 9:12 p.m.
Two Portland men drowned Monday in the Willamette River at Portland’s Kelley Point Park.
About 5:30 p.m. Monday a 25-year-old man was swimming off the park and had problems, said Lt. Steve Alexander with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.
A 20-year-old brother went to help him. Both disappeared.
Alexander said neither man was a good swimmer and the area has drop-offs that go to a depth of 70 feet.
Bodies of both were recovered later by a Portland Fire Department boat and crew.
Names were not available Monday.
Alexander cautioned against swimming without a life jacket.
“Once you commit and get into the water, bad things can happen,” Alexander said of trying to rescue someone. He said throwing a buoyant device is a better idea.
Kelley Point is at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers.
