LINN COUNTY, Oregon —A Kansas man drowned at a popular hiking destination in the Willamette National Forest.
Just before 9p.m. June 26, the Linn County Oregon Dispatch received a 911 call reporting that a man, later identified as 21-year-old Kenny Truong of Kansas, had jumped into the water at Tamolitch Falls, located off Highway 126, and was not able to get out, according to Linn County Undersheriff Micah Smith.
The area is commonly known as Blue Pool.
Truong was visiting the area with friends when he decided to jump into the pool. Witnesses describe him struggling as he swam toward shore, before submerging, according to Smith.
Despite the best efforts of those at Tamolitch Falls who tried to help him, and the first responders who arrived in response to the 911 call, Truong did not survive. The sheriff's office did release details on where in Kansas Truong lived.
Tamolitch Falls is a breathtaking destination visited by people from throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. It is also a place that has taken lives before and will take lives again if visitors do not understand what they are facing.
The cliffs surrounding the pool rise between 10 and 60 feet. The water averages 37 degrees Fahrenheit, cold enough to cause immediate physical shock upon entry.
There is minimal to no cell phone reception in the area. When something goes wrong at Blue Pool (or on the trail leading into the falls), it can take up to several hours from the moment of injury to reach a hospital.
"Linn County Sheriff’s Office and our partner agencies respond to emergencies at this location every year. We ask everyone planning to visit Tamolitch Falls to go with that knowledge. "