A Woodland man is missing and presumed dead after a boating accident on the Columbia River near Hood River, Ore.
Michael Shufeldt, 26, of Woodland, the boat’s captain, was likely killed when the commercial guide boat he was on capsized after taking a large wave over the stern, according to a statement from the Hood River County (Ore.) Sheriff’s Office.
Search and rescue operations began about noon Thursday. Six people aboard were pulled from the water and taken to shore. Two were taken to the hospital.
Around 2 p.m., the fishing boat was found by the Skamania County Dive Team, at a depth of about 40 feet, near the mouth of the White Salmon River.
Shufeldt was not found near the boat and is presumed dead, according to the statement. The search will continue but it is now considered a recovery mission.
Efforts to recover the boat are ongoing.
The ongoing investigation indicates weather in the area deteriorated rapidly.
“Conditions at the time of the accident were treacherous, and preliminary evidence suggests a tragic accident,” according to the sheriff’s office.
Search efforts included assistance from Columbia River Intertribal Fisheries officers, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Coast Guard, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue and civilian volunteers.
