Oregon Man Drowns Trying To Save Dog At Miller Island

KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. — In a tragic turn of events, a 65-year-old Klamath Falls man drowned while attempting to rescue a struggling dog at the Miller Island Wildlife Refuge on Sunday. After an extensive search, authorities recovered his body on Monday, February 17.

Klamath County 9-1-1 received a report of a dog in distress in the water just before 1 p.m. on Sunday.

The caller indicated that someone may have entered the water to rescue the dog. Still, they were unable to locate the dog’s owner. The caller found personal belongings near the water, reinforcing fears that someone had jumped into the water a short while later.

Law enforcement, fire, and medical teams responded to the scene, and the Klamath County Marine, Small Boat, and Dive Rescue teams conducted a search using divers and sonar. Despite continuing operations until after 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, they could not locate the missing person.

The search resumed the next day, and rescue teams recovered the man’s body from the water at about 2:30 p.m. Neither the victim’s identity nor details of the dog’s fate and whether it survived have been released.

Authorities sent condolences to the victims and loved ones of the deceased and reminded the public that “This incident serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers of cold water and the risks involved in water rescues.”