Benton County Sheriff's Office issued the following announcement on Apr. 25.
On April 25, 2022, at approximately 10:00 am, Benton County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteers recovered a deceased missing kayaker on the Long Tom River near Monroe, OR. One female kayaker remains missing at this time.
On Sunday, April 24, at 8:12 pm, dispatchers received a phone call from a family member reporting the couple’s overdue arrival at the Monroe City Park. The two launched their kayaks the prior day, April 23, near Ferguson Rd, south of Monroe. Deputies immediately responded and searched the river until 11:01 pm and continued the search early Monday morning with SAR ground searchers, drones, aircraft, divers, and boats.
Just after 9:00 am on Monday, the body of Joseph Bendix (26), of Eugene, was located deceased, approximately three miles south of Monroe by an adjacent landowner. SAR members recovered his body a short time later and he was positively identified by a family member.
The search continues today for missing female Mariana Dukes (23), of Eugene. Dukes is 5’4” with blonde hair. The last known contact Dukes had with her family was on Saturday, April 23, shortly before 5:00 pm.
The 50 searchers include volunteers from nearby agencies: Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Lane County Sheriff’s Office Water Rescue Team, Albany Fire Department’s Water Rescue Team, Lane County SAR, Benton County SAR’s Volunteer Aircraft Team, K9 SAR Unit, and drones from BCSO and Albany Fire Departments.
BCSO continues to request if you see a green kayak downstream (north) from Ferguson Rd on the Long Tom River, please contact Detective David Iverson at david.iverson@co.benton.or.us or call 541-230-0984. They also would like to ask that you not respond to help search; they have trained professionals on scene.
“I’d like to thank Sheriff Harold and the members of the Lane County Sheriff’s Office for all their help during this event. Benton County SAR coordinator Kevin Higgins and the members of Benton County SAR have been amazing and I am grateful to have them as a resource to our county, along with all of the other volunteer organizations that have aided in this search,” stated Sheriff Jef Van Arsdall. “I would also like to thank the community of Monroe for their incredible grace and empathy to the family impacted by this tragedy.”
Original source can be found here.
Source: Benton County Sheriff's Office
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