Body of Marysville teen pulled from Feather River after daylong search
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- Search crews recovered a 16-year-old Marysville boy’s body from the Feather River.
- The teen drowned Friday after falling into a deep channel near Star Bend ramp.
- Six agencies joined rescue efforts halted by darkness and resumed Saturday morning.
The body of a 16-year-old Marysville boy was pulled from the Feather River on Saturday, authorities said, bringing a tragic close to an incident that began with a group of teens headed for a Fourth of July swim.
Nathan Drake was with a group of people who had walked to a remote beach along the river near the Star Bend boat ramp and went into the water late Friday afternoon, the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Witnesses said Drake either entered the water with a friend, or went in to help a friend who was struggling, the Sheriff’s Office said.
“The river’s depth and strong current unfortunately kept the young man from being able to reach the riverbank safely,” authorities said.
He “fell into a deep channel and began to struggle,” the Sheriff’s Office said, and He soon went under the water. Officials said they received an emergency call at about 5:30 p.m. Friday and rushed to the scene. Six rescue agencies searched until it became too dark to dive Friday night, including the Yuba County Sheriff’s Boat Unit and Technical Rescue Team, the Sutter County Sheriff’s Office, and fire departments from Linda, Yuba City and Marysville.
Rescuers returned on Saturday morning, ultimately finding the teen’s body at about 3:30 p.m. in water that was 17-feet deep, the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
“This tragic incident highlights the unpredictable hazards of river channels, especially in colder temperatures and with such strong undercurrents,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “Our deep-felt sympathy and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victim.”
This story was originally published July 6, 2025 at 11:18 AM.
