Deschutes County Medical Examiner conducting tests to identify body found at Lava Island Falls on the Deschutes River
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- After the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team recovered a body found at Lava Island Falls on the Deschutes River, the Medical Examiner is now conducting tests to try to identify its person.
The Medical Examiner would not provide any information about the timeline or what tests would be done to try and identify the body. Once, and if, the body is identified, the person's next of kin will have to be notified before it becomes public knowledge.
Around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, kayakers discovered a body at Lava Island Falls after paddling to the island to take photos. The area of the river where the body was found was extremely difficult to navigate, but after hours of trying, Search and Rescue was successful.
KTVZ was on the scene for most of the afternoon and evening during the rescue operation - the only media organization present.
The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office's Search and Rescue Team has been searching for the third body of a group that went over Dillon Falls while on an inner tubing trip on the Deschutes River. Again, it is still not confirmed whether this is the body of the third missing person.
