Body of Missing Vancouver Man Located Near Steck Park
By Shannon Weidemann (McKone) on Friday, May 26th, 2023 in Featured Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER COUNTY – (Release from Baker County Sheriff’s Office)
Update: On May 25, 2023, Baker County Sheriff’s Office Marine Deputy Robb and a Malheur County Sheriff’s Office Deputy were patrolling the waterway near Huntington as the search continued for missing Vancouver man, Lan Hung Nguyen.
At approximately 2:59 p.m., Baker County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch was notified by an Idaho Power employee that he located a body in the water near Steck Park. Deputies responded to the area and confirmed that the body was Nguyen.
On May 19th, Nguyen walked away from his camp near Farewell Bend in the late evening hours and did not return. Baker County Search and Rescue volunteers, Baker County Sheriff’s Office personnel and friends/family of Nguyen conducted a thorough ground search in the vicinity of the camp but were unable to locate the missing man. It was believed that he had fallen down an embankment and into the water.
Baker County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Baker County Search and Rescue and the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Ash offers his sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Nguyen during this tragic time.
Previous:
On May 20, 2023 at approximately 6:28 a.m., Baker County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a report of a missing camper in the area of Farewell Bend State Park. Friends of Lan Hung Nguyen (40 yoa of Vancouver, WA) stated that he walked away from the campsite at approximately 10:00 p.m. the previous evening and hadn’t been seen since.
A BCSO marine deputy, patrol deputy, and search and rescue members were deployed and responded to the area. The camp was approximately ¼ mile north of the main boat ramp at Farewell Bend State Park. Upon arrival, a search by boat was performed near the shoreline. Ground crews conducted a grid search of the hillside around the camp, which consisted of brushy, steep terrain and several shallow canyons. Nguyen’s fellow campers assisted with the ground search. Deputy Daisy and her handler joined the search combing the hillside and shoreline. Shoes that Nguyen was reported being last seen in were located just above the shoreline near the campsite.
A second boat and additional ground crews, including search and rescue air scent K9 Pepper and her handler, Ellen Bishop, were deployed in the afternoon to assist with the search. Deputies spoke with boaters and campers in the area but none reported seeing Nguyen.It is believed that shortly after walking away from his campsite, Nguyen fell down the embankment and into the water. Marine deputies will continue to patrol the waterway in an effort to locate Nguyen.
