Search Underway For Missing 18-Year-Old Near Santiam River In Mill City (Photo) - UPDATE - 10/31/25
UPDATE:
Sheriff Michelle Duncan is releasing additional information regarding Karandeep Singh, the 18-year-old male who went missing in the North Santiam River near the Mill City Bridge earlier this month.
On October 24, 2025, just after 2:00 p.m., the Linn County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a fisherman along the North Santiam River in Mill City. The fisherman reported that his line snagged on something in the water, and when he reeled it in, he believed it was a body. A Mill City deputy arrived within minutes and confirmed the findings. Members of the Linn County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and Search and Rescue responded and recovered the body from the river.
Following the recovery, deputies continued to follow up with the investigation and learned this week from the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office that the individual was positively identified as Karandeep Singh, who had been missing since October 7. The medical examiner’s office also determined the death was caused by an accidental drowning. Deputies have been in contact with the Consulate General of India, who have assisted in coordinating with Mr. Singh’s family abroad to ensure they are updated on all developments.
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mr. Singh during this difficult time.
UPDATE:
Sheriff Michelle Duncan is releasing further information regarding the search of the North Santiam River near the Mill City bridge for the missing 18-year-old male. The male is now being identified as Karandeep Singh. Although Singh had several people on scene that were close to him and were kept updated on search efforts, he was not known to have family in the United States. Deputies worked with the Consulate of India who were able to notify the family abroad.
Deputies investigating the case learned that Singh was last seen the night before, October 7th, around 10:00 p.m. walking with several friends near the North Santiam River. He had been drinking and said he was going to get into the river. Singh did not know how to swim but had been in the shallow waters of the river before. His friends tried to stop him, but he jumped in the river in an area that was much deeper than where he had been previously. Two of his friends entered the river and tried to save him but were unsuccessful and lost sight of him. It was not until the next morning, on October 8th, that his friends reported the incident to a third person, and it was eventually reported to law enforcement. Part of the delay was due to a language barrier.
Recovery efforts for Singh began the morning of October 9th, when the Water Rescue Team divers began their search of the river where the male was believed to have entered. The team was unable to get a traditional boat to this area, so three divers on a rescue watercraft searched the area, first with an underwater camera. Divers then dove areas they could not get to with the camera. They searched under and around large boulders where the body could have been stuck. The waters in this particular area are running very fast with a large amount of underwater debris and entanglement hazards, so the divers had to use extreme caution while conducting the search. Before and during the search of the area with divers, multiple deputies from Linn and Marion County searched a larger area of the river with drones.
Although search efforts have been reduced, deputies plan to continue with periodic drone flights and on-water search efforts by watercraft. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office expresses their deepest sympathies for Singh’s family and friends.
Sheriff Michelle Duncan reports that on October 8, 2025, at approximately 12:00 p.m., the Linn County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing person near the edge of the Santiam River in Mill City.
Deputies responded to the area and contacted the witnesses. They learned that an 18-year-old male from Mill City was seen in the Santiam River. According to witnesses, he was pulled into the current and has not been seen since. Witnesses were unable to rescue the male as he was pulled under the water and did not surface.
With this information, multiple deputies began searching the surrounding area and riverbanks on foot, utilizing several drones to aid in the search. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office also assisted with aerial support using additional drones.
Today, multiple search teams are back on scene, including the Linn County Sheriff’s Office Water Rescue Team, ground search members, and drone operators, as efforts continue to locate the male. Sheriff’s Office divers are using underwater camera equipment to aid in their search for the male.
We are not releasing the name of the subject at this time as we are still attempting to locate the immediate family to update them on our efforts.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Linn County Sheriff’s Office at 541-967-3950.
