Oregon authorities confirm second death in fatal waterfall accident

Oregon authorities on Monday confirmed a second death following a fatal waterfall accident as search and rescue operations continued for the one person who remains missing.

Search and rescue divers found the body of a second victim Monday morning, the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. The two confirmed deaths are both females, while the person still unaccounted for is male.

The accident happened Saturday afternoon when a group was swept over Dillon Falls on the Deschutes River, about 10 miles from Bend. One person died at the scene and three were rescued from the river.

Divers, boats, drones and dogs were deployed Monday as part of search operations for the missing on the river, said Jason Carr, spokesperson for the sheriff's office. He noted the unlikelihood of surviving the 15-foot (5-meter) falls and rapids.

“The whitewater lasts for a pretty decent stretch. So this isn’t just like, ‘oh, it’s a quick falls and it’s over,’” Carr said, noting the cold temperature and rocks in the swift water. “It’s a pretty lengthy cascade of rushing water.”

Detectives were working to determine how the group was swept over the falls and how those rescued were able to survive.

“The presumption is that the three to survive did not go through the falls because the chances of them living through that are almost slim to none,” Carr said.

The body located Monday was found below the falls, the sheriff’s office said.

The group was floating down the river but the type of flotation devices they were using have not been confirmed, Carr said.

People recreating on that area of the river normally exit at the Dillon Falls day use area, as the waterfall is just around the bend, Carr said. Signs along the river warn of the hazardous waterfall ahead.

The three people rescued had minor wounds such as scrapes and bruises and were able to get out of the rescue boat on their own and walk. They were transported to a local hospital to ensure they had no other injuries, Carr said.

Officials have yet to release the identities of those in the group.

The Deschutes River, which runs through Bend, is popular in summer for rafting, inner tube floating, kayaking, paddle boarding and other water activities.

This photo provided by the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office shows search and rescue teams along the Deschutes River about 10 miles from Bend, Ore., after a fatal waterfall accident Saturday, July 19, 2025. (Deschutes County Sheriff's Office via AP)

This photo provided by the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office shows search and rescue teams and a sign indicating a hazardous waterfall ahead along the Deschutes River about 10 miles from Bend, Ore., after a fatal waterfall accident Saturday, July 19, 2025. (Deschutes County Sheriff's Office via AP)

This photo provided by the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office shows search and rescue teams along the Deschutes River about 10 miles from Bend, Ore., after a fatal waterfall accident Saturday, July 19, 2025. (Deschutes County Sheriff's Office via AP)

This photo provided by the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office shows search and rescue teams on the Deschutes River about 10 miles from Bend, Ore., after a fatal waterfall accident Saturday, July 19, 2025. (Deschutes County Sheriff's Office via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani will take his midnight oath of office on a centuries-old Quran, marking the first time a mayor of New York City uses Islam’s holy text to be sworn in and underscoring a series of historic firsts for the city.

When the 34-year-old Democrat becomes mayor in a long-closed subway station beneath City Hall, he'll be the first Muslim, first South Asian and first African-born person to hold that position.

These milestones — as well as the historical Quran he will use for the ceremony — reflect the longstanding and vibrant Muslim residents of the nation's most populous city, according to a scholar who helped Mamdani’s wife, Rama Duwaji, select one of the books.

Most of Mamdani's predecessors were sworn in on a Bible, although the oath to uphold the federal, state and city constitutions does not require the use of any religious text.

And while he has focused heavily on the issue of affordability during his campaign, Mamdani was outspoken about his Muslim faith. He frequently appeared at mosques across the five boroughs as he built a base of support that included many first-time South Asian and Muslim voters.

Mamdani will place his hand on two Qurans during the subway ceremony: his grandfather's Quran and a pocket-sized version that dates back to the late 18th or early 19th century. It is part of the collection at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

That copy of the Quran symbolizes the diversity and reach of the city's Muslims, said Hiba Abid, the library's curator for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies.

“It’s a small Quran, but it brings together elements of faith and identity in New York City history,” Abid said.

For a subsequent swearing-in ceremony at City Hall on the first day of the year, Mamdani will use both his grandfather's and grandmother's Qurans. The campaign hasn't offered more details on those heirlooms.

The manuscript was acquired by Arturo Schomburg, a Black Puerto Rican historian whose collection documented the global contributions of people of African descent. While it is unclear how Schomburg came into possession of the Quran, scholars believe it reflected his interest in the historical relationship between Islam and Black cultures in the United States and across Africa.

Unlike ornate religious manuscripts associated with royalty or elites, the copy of the Quran that Mamdani will use is modest in design. It has a deep red binding with a simple floral medallion and is written in black and red ink. The script is plain and readable, suggesting it was created for everyday use rather than ceremonial display.

Those features indicate the manuscript was intended for ordinary readers, Abid said, a quality she described as central to its meaning.

“The importance of this Quran lies not in luxury, but in accessibility,” she said.

Because the manuscript is undated and unsigned, scholars relied on its binding and script to estimate when it was produced, placing it sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century during the Ottoman period in a region that includes what is now Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan.

Abid said the manuscript’s journey to New York mirrors Mamdani’s own layered background. Mamdani is a South Asian New Yorker who was born in Uganda, while Duwaji is American-Syrian.

The meteoric rise of a Muslim democratic socialist also brought a surge of Islamophobic rhetoric, amplified by national attention on the race.

In an emotional speech days before the election, Mamdani said the hostility had only strengthened his resolve to be visible about his faith.

“I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith that I’m proud to call my own,” he said. “I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light.”

The decision to use a Quran has drawn fresh criticism from some conservatives. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama wrote on social media, “The enemy is inside the gates,” in response to a news article about Mamdani’s inauguration. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil-rights group, has designated Tuberville as an anti-Muslim extremist based on past statements.

Such backlash is not new. In 2006, Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, faced condemnation from conservatives after he chose to use a Quran for his ceremonial oath.

Following the inauguration, the Quran will go on public display at the New York Public Library. Abid said she hopes attention surrounding the ceremony — whether supportive or critical — will prompt more people to explore the library’s collections documenting Islamic life in New York, ranging from early 20th century Armenian and Arabic music recorded in the city to firsthand accounts of Islamophobia after the Sept. 11 attacks.

“This manuscript was meant to be used by ordinary readers when it was produced,” Abid said. “Today it lives in a public library where anyone can encounter it.”

Associated Press writers Jake Offenhartz in New York and Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, contributed.

This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)

This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)

This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)

This photo provided by The New York Public Library shows the Schomburg Quran on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York. (Jonathan Blanc/The New York Public Library via AP)