January 23, 2024  3:50 a.m. 

Rescuers from several agencies responded after a boat capsized near Elk Island in the South Umpqua River in Roseburg on Monday afternoon.

An initial call for help came in around 2:40 p.m.  Scanner reports indicated that three men were in the boat when it turned over. The News Review reported that two men held onto trees and shrubs in the river while first responders worked to get near them in the fast-moving water.

A City of Roseburg Fire truck was parked on the west side of the river, to serve as an indicator for crews to approach the duo from the east side. One of the people in the shrubs was able to use his cellphone to call a friend, who then handed the phone to first responders to open lines of communication.

A raft was launched from just south of the incident and pulled up next to the two men. They were then brought ashore.

A lengthy recovery attempt continued as crews tried to rescue the third man who was said to be in the middle of the river. That continued to at least the area of the Melrose Bridge. The status of the third man was not immediately known.

News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN has reached out to authorities seeking official information. This story will be updated when that becomes available.