The body of celebrity chef and “Top Chef” alum Naomi Pomeroy has been recovered from a river in western Oregon, authorities confirmed Wednesday.
The Benton County Sheriff's Office said Pomeroy's body was located Wednesday morning in the Willamette River, about a half-mile upriver from Hyak Park, between Corvallis and Albany, Oregon.
People canoeing on the river saw a body and called 911, the sheriff said in a Facebook update. Sheriff's deputies arrived shortly after and “located a deceased female in a shallow section of bedrock near the middle of the river with approximately one to two feet of water.”
Officers identified the body as Pomeroy, who had been missing since July 13. They released her body to a funeral home and notified her family of her recovery, the article said.
The 49-year-old chef, who helped put Portland on the culinary map, competed on Season 10 of “Top Chef” when it was based in Seattle and on “Top Chef Masters” in 2011.
According to the sheriff's office, it was the first drowning victim of the year. A sheriff's investigation determined that three people floating on floats and a paddleboard, who were tethered together, had become “caught on an exposed obstacle in the water,” the sheriff said Tuesday in a Facebook post that has since been updated.
“One of the people floating, Naomi, was dragged underwater and held on by the paddleboard leash,” the post said.
Corvallis Fire Department personnel were unable to recover Pomeroy's body at the time, but recovered the other two floats on shore and safely transported them to a boat ramp.
Pomeroy was tubing with her husband, Kyle Webster, and another person when she went underwater, Benton County Patrol Lt. Toby Bottorff told local news station KEZI.
Sheriff's deputies searched the area using sonar, underwater cameras and drones, but were unable to find any sign of Pomeroy due to the large amount of debris. Search efforts were suspended overnight; however, the office said a sheriff's boat had been in the water every day since Saturday for the recovery mission.
“I am committed to locating Naomi and bringing her home to her family and loved ones,” said Sheriff Van Arsdall. “I want to thank everyone involved in the search and recovery mission and the support during this difficult time.”
The sheriff's office warned the public that rivers are “inherently dangerous with currents and hazards” and encouraged people to scout them beforehand.
“If you are boating on rivers, do not strap yourself into a paddleboard unless it has a quick-release leash,” the sheriff’s statement said. “Also, do not strap two or more floats together; this requires you to have a life jacket for each person. Children 12 years old and younger must wear a life jacket.”
