Teen Drowns Near Lake Oroville

Teen Drowns Near Lake Oroville

A male teenager from Thermalito went missing on the Feather River near the Thermalito Afterbay on Wednesday, June 29, 2016.

What Happened?

The boy went missing after rafting down the Feather River with four other teenagers. The teenagers initiated the trip at Larkin Road. The five teenagers were riding on two separate rafts downstream. The five teenagers later could not handle the currents where the Afterbay joins the river and the rafts began losing control by spinning. One of the teenagers was able to reach the edge of the river and locals saved the others from the rafts. The five teenagers were not wearing life jackets at the time of the incident.

Sheriff’s Office Public Announcements

The Sheriff’s office has not publicly announced the name of the teenager according to Miranda Bowersox, a public information officer for the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. Bowersox also stated that the teenagers saw their friend go under the water prior to being rescued.

Search Efforts

The search began the same day and was carried out every day for the missing boy. The search was conducted by CalFire, the Butte County Sheriff’s office, and Search and Rescue. Multiple witnesses observed the boy’s body down the river on Sunday, June 3, 2016 in the afternoon. The location of the boy’s body was retrieved by a helicopter within proximity of a few miles where the boy was last seen by the other teenagers. The water flow from the Afterbay had to be lowered in order to allow safer access to this part of the river.

Oroville Personal Injury Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, an Oroville personal injury lawyer. If you or a family member have experienced a drowning accident, please contact me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.

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