Search underway for St. Helens city official in Columbia River
KPTV • • nation
Key Points:
- City administrator John Walsh went missing after entering the Columbia River near St. Helens City Docks around 10:30 p.m. Saturday and did not resurface.
- A search and rescue operation involving local authorities and the U.S. Coast Guard was initially unsuccessful, paused early Sunday, and resumed later with the use of a drone and underwater ROV.
- The cause of Walsh entering the water remains unknown, and an active investigation is ongoing.
- Gloria Butsch, the city finance director, was appointed as temporary interim city administrator during an emergency city council meeting on Sunday.
- St. Helens City Hall, the public library, and St. Helens Recreation will be closed on Monday, June 15, as the community mourns and supports ongoing search efforts.
