UPDATE: Albany Man Dead After Canoe Flips on North Santiam River

A woman who was also in the canoe when it turned over and got stuck in a log jam, was not injured.

Tragedy struck Saturday afternoon on the North Santiam River near Greens Bridge just south of Jefferson, Ore. Photo: Salem-News.com

(JEFFERSON, Ore. ) - Tragedy struck Saturday afternoon on the North Santiam River near Greens Bridge just south of Jefferson, Ore.

Jefferson, Albany, Linn, Benton, and Marion county rescue crews were called to the area where the river bends with the South Santiam River around 2:00 p.m. on the call of a missing person after a canoe flipped over.

Rescue crews combed the river until just after 4:00 p.m. when they located the body of the man who was in the canoe. A woman who was also in the canoe when it turned over and got stuck in a log jam, was not injured. It was not clear if either person was wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident.

On Monday, the Linn County Sheriff's Office identified the dead man as 60-year-old Michael Gilpin of Albany.

Thursday evening two men were plucked out of the river near Scio after their inner tubes got caught in heavy brush and trees in swift moving rapids. Both men were lucky to escape unharmed.

Jefferson Fire District offers those using the North Santiam River some tips before and during a float on the river.

1. Tell someone where you are going, when you expect to return, and where to call if you don’t.

2. NEVER BOAT ALONE. Be sure your whitewater/boating skills and experience are equal to the river and the conditions.

3. Wear a properly fitted Personal Flotation Device (PFD) at all times when you are in or near the river.

4. Know your limits of swimmers rescue and self rescue on whitewater rivers. Know when and how to swim for an eddy.

5. Be prepared for extremes in weather, especially cold. Know about the dangers of hypothermia and how to deal with it. Know early signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and dehydration in hot weather.

6. Never run a rapid unless you can see a clear path through it. Watch out for new snags after winter and spring floods.

7. Allow the craft ahead of you to pass through the rapid before you enter it. This will avoid a double disaster if the leading boat blocks the channel.