On Sunday, authorities in Oregon reported that six people were involved in an incident at a waterfall in Oregon on Saturday afternoon, resulting in at least one fatality and two individuals missing. The search and rescue mission is currently ongoing.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the group of individuals were caught up in Dillon Falls, which is approximately 10 miles from Bend in central Oregon, along a section of the Deschutes River.
Described on the Agriculture Department’s website as a popular location for activities such as boating, the area around Dillon Falls is frequented by tourists.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office stated that three individuals were rescued from the river and transported by ambulance to a hospital in Bend, with one person pronounced dead at the scene and two others still missing.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the specific details of the Saturday incident. The Sheriff’s Office indicated that the incident was initially reported before 3 p.m. local time, prompting a swift response from officers, local firefighters, and search and rescue teams. The Sheriff mentioned that AirLink helicopters and drones provided by the Bend Police Department were utilized for aerial search operations.
Officer Josh Barker from the Sheriff’s Office mentioned that search efforts for the missing individuals continued into Saturday night and resumed on Sunday morning.
The identities of the victims and survivors have not been made public as of now.
Dillon Falls is situated within the Deschutes National Forest and known for its significant drop followed by a series of rapids that flow through a narrow lava canyon.
Described by the U.S. Forest Service, the area is popular for picnicking and viewing Dillon Falls along the Deschutes River. The agency added that there is a 0.3-mile accessible trail starting from the western end of the day-use area, connecting to the riverfront trail along the Deschutes River, leading upstream and crossing a short footbridge.