Top Chef Masters star Naomi Pomroy, 49, has died in a freak accident while tubing in an Oregon river.

World-famous chef and “Top Chef Masters” star Naomi Pomroy has died after becoming trapped underwater while scuba diving with her husband and a friend in an Oregon river.

Pomeroy, 49, was swimming with her husband, Kyle Linden Webster, and another on the Willamette River near Corvallis, Oregon, when the group got stuck in an “exposed obstacle in the water,” the Benton County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a report. statement Tuesday.

Officials said the beloved chef was then pulled underwater and became trapped by a paddle rope attached to her, causing her to drown.

The trio reportedly tied their inner tubes and paddleboard together before the incident.

The Corvallis Fire Department has yet to recover Pomeroy's body while Webster and the third person were rescued on shore – about 60 miles outside Portland.

“I am committed to finding Naomi and returning her home to her family and loved ones,” Sheriff Van Arsdal said.

Rescuers combed parts of the 187-mile-long river using sonar, underwater cameras and drones, but heavy debris made the search difficult, officials said.

Pomeroy became a prominent figure in Portland's culinary scene after opening the beloved farm-to-table restaurant Beast in 2007, according to Oregonian.

Pomeroy won the coveted award. James Beard Awardwho was awarded Best Female Chef in the North West in 2014 after the success of her restaurant.

The self-taught chef closed Beast in May 2020, but renamed the location Ripe Cooperative shortly after. However, due to the high costs of running the restaurant, she was forced to close it in October 2022, Reported.

Pomroy is best known for appearing on Bravo's cooking show “Top Chef Masters” in 2011.

The celebrity chef finished fourth on the show's third season, in which Pomeroy took home a $26,800 prize.

She later appeared on “Top Chef” as a guest judge and dinner host.

In recent years, Pomroy has become a partner with her husband in owning the Portland cocktail bar Expatriate.

The chef has also opened a new small restaurant in the northwestern city, according to Oregonian.

U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who represents Oregon's 3rd congressional district, called the news of her death “tragic.”

“Naomi was not only an amazing chef and entrepreneur, she was an amazing human being,” Blumenauer said, according to the newspaper.

“Her impact went far beyond Portland, as she helped establish our leadership and reputation for food excellence. She will be greatly missed.”

Fellow “Top Chef Masters” contestant and author Mary Sue Milliken also shared a heartbreaking post after learning of Pomeroy's sudden death.

“I was saddened to hear that we have tragically lost our incredibly talented chef Naomi Pomroy. I bonded with her through the grueling cooking challenges of Season 3 of Top Chef Masters… My heart goes out to Kyle, August and all of her dear friends,” she said. It was published. On Tuesday X.

On July 12, officials found a 13-year-old boy from the Willamette River after a three-day search, According to KOIN.

The teenager was playing in the water when he disappeared.