The body of a 25-year-old California resident thought to have been swept away in the March 11 Japanaese tsunami has been discovered on the beach near Warrenton, Oregon.
Dustin Douglas Weber had just transplanted to California two weeks before the accident. He was taking photographs of the tsunami waves near the Klamath River when he was suddenly engulfed and swept away. A passerby discovered his body on April 2 near the mouth of the Columbia River.
Dr. Christopher Young, Oregon deputy state medical examiner, told Reuters that the autopsy shows the body had been in the water for many weeks. The body was so decomposed that they had to use dental records to officially identify the young man.
Young explained, "The only unusual thing about this is the distance, where the body was found. In a case like this, a body is usually found pretty close to where they entered the water."
Reuters spoke to Weber's mother Lori Davis, who is completely devastated by her son's early death.
"The whole thing has been really, really hard," she said. "He was an amazing guy. I have never seen him so excited and motivated. He was extremely happy."