Second body recovered from Willamette River at Cathedral Park, MCSO says

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A second body was recovered from the Willamette River Saturday night, coming after officials also found a “badly decomposed” body the same afternoon.

At 8:15 p.m., MCSO deputies received a call about the body in the Willamette River at Cathedral Park.

Patrol officers recovered the body, which had washed ashore.

Just after 2 p.m. the same day, MCSO River Patrol recovered another body from the river in the downtown area north of the Steel Bridge.

Officials noted the body was “badly decomposed of unknown gender.”

MCSO has since turned over both investigations to the Medical Examiner, who will work to identify the bodies and determine cause of death.

This marks three bodies discovered this past week and the seventh overall in the Willamette — or near the confluence of the river at Hayden Island — within the past month.

The sheriff’s office said an increase in water recoveries can be credited to increased water activity and warming temperatures.

“Warmer water accelerates the natural decomposition process, which can cause bodies to rise to the surface more quickly,” they said. “As the weather improves, more individuals engage in activities on and near the water, such as fishing and boating. This increased presence of people leads to a higher likelihood of previously undiscovered remains being observed and reported.”

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.