Columbia River kayakers died in cold water

Associated Press
Friday, January 4, 2013 8:41pm
Local News Northwest

VANCOUVER, Wash. — The Clark County medical examiner’s office says a Vancouver woman and a Gresham, Ore., man both died of hypothermia after their kayak accidentally overturned in the Columbia River.

They were officially identified Thursday as 51-year-old Teddi Ann Watanabe of Vancouver and 50-year-old Bradley James Lynch of Gresham.

The Columbian reported there were no witnesses to the accident which happened around Christmas.

Watanabe’s body was found Dec. 28 in the Columbia River near the I-205 bridge at Vancouver. Searchers later found an empty two-person kayak washed up on Government Island, and Lynch’s body was found Wednesday in the water.

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