Two men are missing in separate swimming incidents that took place Saturday, June 26, on the Willamette River over the weekend. The first incident began near the Wheatland Ferry just north of Keizer.
About 7 p.m., Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol deputies were dispatched to a missing swimmer report. Upon arrival, deputies learned that Nasiruddin Shaik, 37, of Salem, was last seen struggling in the water off the Marion County river bank.
A contingent of law enforcement, fire/rescue personnel, and volunteers searched the waterway and river bank, utilizing multiple boats and a helicopter. The search was suspended about 10 p.m. until the following morning.
Fifteen minutes later, Yamhill County Dep. Robert VandeBergh and Marine Safety Officer Jose Dominguez were traveling downriver from the search area when they heard a female screaming for help near the confluence of the Willamette and Yamhill Rivers, near Dayton.
They located the female struggling in the water and were able to get her a flotation device and bring her onboard their patrol boat. The female said she and her boyfriend had jumped from their boat to go swimming and he was still missing in the water. The boyfriend is Thomas Paul Stavrum, 51, of Lafayette. Deputies continued to look for Stavrum until just after midnight, at which time the search was suspended.
Members of the YCSO Marine Patrol and the Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Water Rescue Team continued the search on Sunday and Monday morning but were unsuccessful.
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police were assisted by Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, the Dayton and Salem Fire Departments, and Life Flight.
As additional hot weather is forecasted for the rest of this week, the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office urges swimmers to use personal flotation devices when swimming in Oregon lakes and rivers.