Updated story with interviews from family: "Boys who died rafting Oregon river lived for adventures with Dad"

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Two young brothers rafting with their father in northeastern Oregon over the weekend died after they were ejected from the vessel, police said.

The family was on the Grande Ronde River in Wallowa County when their raft hit a rock at Martins Misery Rapids — near the town of Troy — and sent the two boys into the rough waters, said Oregon State Police.

The father jumped into the cold, swift current but couldn't find his kids, police said. Another rafting group later found the children but they could not be revived.

Capt. Tim Fox, a state police spokesman, would not release the ages of the two brothers. Police did not say whether the boys had been wearing life preservers.

The investigation is ongoing.

-- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh

skavanaugh@oregonian.com

503-294-7632 II @shanedkavanaugh