Latest news with #DeschutesCountySheriff
New York Times
19 hours ago
- New York Times
2 Dead and 1 Missing After Plunging From Oregon Waterfall, Officials Say
Search crews pulled the body of a second woman from the Deschutes River in Oregon on Monday and were still looking for a third person, two days after a group of people plunged from a waterfall, the authorities said. Three other people in the group were rescued on Saturday above Dillon Falls, west of Bend, Ore., according to emergency responders, who said that a man was still missing and presumed dead. The search teams were using drones, a helicopter and dogs to look for his body, the authorities said. It was not clear whether the people had been kayaking or rafting down the river, which Jason Carr, a spokesman for the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, said in an interview on Monday turns into rapids that are particularly treacherous. 'The chances of anybody surviving going down the falls is very minimal,' Mr. Carr said. The authorities had not yet released the names of the victims and said it was not clear how they had strayed into the falls, which have about a 15-foot drop. 'There are sections that have some really dangerous white-water and falls,' Mr. Carr said. 'The river above the falls is super calm.' Around 3 p.m. Saturday, emergency responders received a 911 call that the group of people had strayed into the area of the falls, according to the sheriff. There are several signs warning of danger ahead, Mr. Carr said, noting that there is a spot with a boat ramp for people to safely exit the water. When search and rescue crews arrived, they found two men and a woman near a lava flow area on the opposite side of the river above the falls, the authorities said. They were taken by boat across the river with what Mr. Carr described as minor injuries. The body of the first victim, a woman, was pulled from the water on Saturday, according to the sheriff's office. At the time of the episode, temperatures were in the upper 80s, typical summer weather for the area, Mr. Carr said. From time to time, he said, emergency responders get calls about people getting stuck on the rocks or an island in the river. 'This type of incident,' he said, 'is rare at this magnitude.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Oregon authorities are still searching for 2 missing after a fatal waterfall accident
Oregon Waterfall Fatal Accident Rescuers in central Oregon continued to search Monday for two people who are presumed dead two days after going missing in a fatal waterfall accident, authorities said. The accident happened Saturday afternoon when a group was swept over Dillon Falls on the Deschutes River, about 10 miles from Bend. One person died at the scene and three were rescued from the river. Divers, boats, drones and dogs were deployed Monday as part of search and rescue operations on the river, said Jason Carr, spokesperson for the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office. The two people missing are likely deceased due to the unlikelihood of surviving the 15-foot (5-meter) falls and rapids, he said. 'The whitewater lasts for a pretty decent stretch. So this isn't just like, 'oh, it's a quick falls and it's over,'' Carr said, noting the cold temperature and rocks in the swift water. 'It's a pretty lengthy cascade of rushing water.' Detectives were working to determine how the group was swept over the falls and how those rescued were able to survive. 'The presumption is that the three to survive did not go through the falls because the chances of them living through that are almost slim to none,' Carr said. The group was floating down the river but the type of flotation devices they were using have not been confirmed, Carr said. People recreating on that area of the river normally exit at the Dillon Falls day use area, as the waterfall is just around the bend, Carr said. Signs along the river warn of the hazardous waterfall ahead. The three people rescued had minor wounds such as scrapes and bruises and were able to get out of the rescue boat on their own and walk. They were transported to a local hospital to ensure they had no other injuries, Carr said. Officials have yet to release the identities of those in the group. The Deschutes River, which runs through Bend, is popular in summer for rafting, inner tube floating, kayaking, paddle boarding and other water activities.
Fox News
a day ago
- Fox News
6 swept over Oregon waterfall; 1 dead and 2 missing
A desperate search is underway in Oregon after authorities said a group of six people were swept over a waterfall on Saturday, leaving one dead, three hospitalized and two missing. Search and rescuers responded just before 3 p.m. to the Dillon Falls on the Deschutes River west of Bend after getting a 911 call about the group going over the falls, the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office said. One person was confirmed dead at the scene. Three others were pulled from the river and rushed to a local hospital. No update on their conditions was immediately provided. Two people remain missing as a multi-agency search and rescue operation is underway to find them, according to the sheriff's office. The Dillon Falls features a 15-foot drop that turns into churning rapids "in a quick, step ladder-like pattern," according to Visit Central Oregon, a website promoting tourism in the region. In photos of the search shared by the sheriff's office, hazard signs show waterfall warnings to those traveling on the river, cautioning visitors to travel upstream only and to wear life jackets. The sheriff's office said Bend Fire and Rescue and the Bend Police Department also responded to help on Saturday, with the latter providing drone support for aerial searches. The operation paused Saturday night and resumed Sunday morning using drones, marine patrol boats and three K-9 units. A 15-member swift water rescue team scoured all high-interest areas that drone imagery flagged, according to the sheriff's office. Despite the effort, neither missing person was found Sunday. The search was set to resume Monday morning, officials said. It was unclear what activity the group was doing before they were swept over the waterfall. The names of the victims and survivors were withheld until families were notified.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
1 dead, 2 missing after group swept over popular Oregon waterfall, authorities say
One person was killed and two others remain missing after a group of people were swept over a waterfall in central Oregon on July 19, authorities said. A multi-agency search and rescue operation was underway after six people went over Dillon Falls, which are rapids on the Deschutes River near the small city of Bend, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office. Authorities received a report of the incident at about 2:57 p.m. local time on July 19, the sheriff's office said in a statement. The incident prompted an immediate response from the sheriff's office, its search and rescue team, and Bend Fire and Rescue. The Bend Police Department also provided drone support and AirLink Critical Care Transport, which provides emergency air medical transport, assisted with the aerial search, the sheriff's office said. Three people were rescued from the river and transported by ambulance to a hospital in Bend, according to the sheriff's office. One person was confirmed dead at the scene. Two people were still missing as of July 20. The sheriff's office said search and rescue crews "continued recovery efforts into the evening" on July 19 and resumed on the morning of July 20. The sheriff's office did not provide further details on the incident, including the victims' identities and how the group got swept over Dillon Falls. "The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office thanks all partner agencies for their swift and coordinated response," the agency said in the statement. "Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available." 'Help': Handwritten note leads rescuers to missing mother and son What is Dillon Falls? Dillon Falls is one of numerous waterfalls in central Oregon, many of which were formed by lava flows, according to the region's tourist information center. Dillon Falls, located within Deschutes National Forest, is a series of "quick-drop rapids" along the Deschutes River, the information center said on its website. The information center describes the waterfall as a "15-foot drop that almost immediately turns into churning rapids in a quick, step ladder-like pattern." According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the area around Dillon Falls is a popular location for visitors for hiking, water activities, picnicking, and viewing the waterfall. The city of Bend has a population of around 100,000 and is located on the Deschutes River, east of the Cascade Range. Bend is about 132 miles southeast of Oregon's capital city of Salem. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oregon waterfall: 1 dead and 2 missing after incident at Dillon Falls
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
One dead and two missing after six people swept down waterfall in Oregon
One person has died while two others remain missing after six people were swept down a waterfall in Oregon over the weekend. On Saturday, the Deschutes county sheriff's office announced a multi-agency search and rescue operation after the group went over Dillon Falls on the Deschutes River west of Bend on Saturday afternoon. At approximately 2.57pm, authorities received a report of the incident which immediately prompted a response from multiple agencies including the county sheriff's office and bed fire and rescue. Using drones from Bend police and aerial search support provided by Airlink, three individuals were located and rescued from the river and transported to a nearby hospital by ambulance. One person was pronounced dead on scene and two others remain missing. The sheriff's office said that search and rescue teams continued recovery efforts into the evening and would work until sunset, adding that if unsuccessful, operations would pause overnight and resume in the morning. Authorities are not yet releasing the names of the victims and survivors to allow for proper family notification. According to the US Forest Service, the area is a popular place for picnicking and viewing Dillon Falls along the Deschutes River. There is an accessible 0.3-mile long trail that goes from the west end of the day use area and connects to the Deschutes River trail, going upriver and over a short pedestrian bridge, the US Forest Service added.
