Award winning Portland chef, Naomi Pomeroy, dies in drowning on Willamette River - July 13, 2024

[La Louve]

Award-winning Portland chef Naomi Pomeroy dies in drowning on Willamette River

Naomi Pomeroy was in the midst of opening a new restaurant next door to her new custard shop on Southeast Division in Portland.

www.kgw.com

PORTLAND, Ore. — Naomi Pomeroy, an award-winning Portland chef, drowned while floating on the Willamette River on Saturday night.

According to KEZI, Pomeroy and friends were floating in three inner tubes downriver from Crystal Lake toward Michael's Landing shortly after 8 p.m. in Corvallis. The inner tubes, which were tied together, hit a snag about 100 yards upstream from Marys River. Pomeroy went underwater and did not resurface. The other two tubers, who included her husband, survived.

A James Beard Award winner, Pomeroy is best known for her trailblazing restaurant Beast, which was one of the early stars of Portland's culinary rise-to-fame.

"She was literally cooking meals out of her home which became the hottest restaurant in Portland, and people were on a waiting list via email to get into these things," recalled Michael Russell, restaurant critic for The Oregonian.
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More at the link....

What a shocking loss. Naomi Pomeroy and Beast were instrumental in putting Portland on the culinary map.

May she rest in peace. :rose:

 

[RstJ]

There are a few bits and pieces of the story coming out, but the 3rd person is never identified (odd), and it's not entirely clear why the body and found, and then lost again. Here's a bit more detail

Pomeroy drowned Saturday evening in the Willamette River near Corvallis after the group she was tubing with got caught on an exposed snag in the water, the Benton County Sheriff's Office said. Pomeroy was pulled under the water and trapped by a paddle board leash. The group had tied their inner tubes and paddle board together.
Authorities said they safely recovered the other two people on the shore and transported them to a boat launch.

(from:
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...g-chef-naomi-pomeroy-drowns-in-river-accident )

Not sure why 3 inner tubes and a paddle board were lashed together, seems awkward. And why was she lashed to a paddleboard, when the whole bunch of stuff was all lashed together?

"The sheriff's office said it is still working to recover Pomeroy's body. It searched the area using sonar, underwater cameras and drones but was unable to find it due to heavy debris."

Trying to remember where on the river there were heavy debris, but there was a lot of logging/metal and paper industry buildings along the river between Corvallis and Albany.

This is being treated as a boating accident, nothing more, and I don't expect to hear much more about it. Lifevests are absolutely essential on the water, this is the the second accident I've read about on the river this year.

Here is the other, scary, incident earlier this summer: https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/kayaker-dead-willamette-ferry-incident-06212024/

 

[La Louve]

Public urged to keep an eye out for body of drowned chef Naomi Pomeroy along Willamette

The search continues for the body of Naomi Pomeroy, the acclaimed Portland chef who lost her life Saturday in a tragic accident while floating the Wilammete Riv

katu.com

"Rescuers found Pomeroy's body underwater but were unable to recover it due to strong currents, the BCSO says. Her remains floated downstream, and authorities resumed the search on Sunday.

However, due to the current and heavy debris, searchers have been unable to find her.

"I am dedicated to locating Naomi to bring her home to her family and loved ones”, said Sheriff Van Arsdall. “I want to thank all involved in the search and recovery mission and support during this difficult time."

 

[La Louve]

Naomi's body was recovered on Wednesday.

"The sheriff's office said that around 10 a.m., people canoeing on the Willamette River called 911 to report the body, which was found about a half mile upstream of Hyak Park between Corvallis and Albany. Shortly afterwards, deputies located Pomeroy's body "on a shallow section of bedrock near the middle of the river with about one to two feet of water."

Portland chef Naomi Pomeroy's body recovered after tubing accident on Willamette River

Chef Naomi Pomeroy was floating the Willamette River in Corvallis with her husband and another person on Saturday when the group hit a snag and Pomeroy went under.

www.kgw.com