20-Year-Old Dies After Being Struck by Boat While Tubing on Oregon River: 'Absolutely Devastating'

A 20-year-old man died in Oregon after he was involved in a “tragic boating accident” on Monday, according to authorities.

“The boat was actually towing the two inner tubers behind them and they ended up turning in one direction and then corrected back the other direction which swung the innertube around,” a Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue spokesperson told CBS affiliateKOIN.

The YCSO announced Thursday that the 20-year-old, who lived in the Brooks area, had succumbed to his injuries.

Both victims were wearing personal floatation devices at the time, per the YCSO.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free weekly newsletterto get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.

“This is absolutely tragic,” she added. “We just feel horrible for the family. It was an accident. Things do happen, but it’s heartbreaking.”

A 17-year-old was operating the boat at the time of the incident, according to the YSCO.

“The preliminary information we have about this particular incident, it sounds like there’s some inexperience on the part of the operator at the time,” YCSO Sergeant Sam Elliott said, per KOIN.

Both the teenager and a parent, who “was on board the boat at the time of the incident,” hold valid Oregon Boater Education cards, the YCSO said.

However, the sheriff’s office said neither operator had “applied for a Towed Watersports Education Card,” which as of April is required “to engage in any towed watersport activity in the Newberg Pool section of the Willamette River.”

Haughn said the individuals involved in Monday’s accident are “all known to each other,” according toKOIN, which reported that the operator was related to one of the victims.

“This was absolutely devastating,” she added, “and our hearts go out to everyone involved and everyone that witnessed it too.”

source: people.com