Woman dies after walking off bow of ferry

A woman has died after walking off the bow of the ferry Oscar B. while the vessel was crossing the Columbia River Friday night.

The ferry crew witnessed the incident and notified the US Coast Guard about 9:30 p.m. The crew began searching for the woman, who has been identified as Barbara Cole, age 51, from the Goldendale area.

A Coast Guard helicopter crew arrived on the scene at 10 p.m. and helped recover the woman. The helicopter crew flew her to a Clatsop County hospital, but she did not survive.

The Clatsop County Sheriff's Office has investigated the incident, which has been classified as an unassisted suicide.

The woman left a car on the ferry; the vehicle has been impounded by the Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Office.