1 useless, 2 lacking after group goes over waterfall in Oregon

One individual is useless and two extra persons are lacking after a bunch of six was swept over a waterfall in Oregon on Saturday, officers mentioned.

The group went over Dillon Falls on the Deschutes River west of Bend simply earlier than 3 p.m., which is when the 911 name got here in, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned on Fb.

One individual was pronounced useless on the scene, and a multiagency search-and-rescue mission is underway to seek out the 2 who’re lacking, in line with the sheriff’s workplace.

The workplace didn’t instantly establish the one that died.

Three individuals had been rescued from the water and brought by ambulance to the St. Charles Well being System’s medical middle in Bend, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned. Their situations aren’t recognized.

Dillon Falls, in central Oregon, is about 173 miles southeast of Portland. The falls have a 15-foot drop that turns into rapids when the water reaches the Deschutes River, in line with Go to Central Oregon, which promotes tourism within the area.

Images posted by the sheriff’s workplace present a hazard signal warning guests of the waterfall close by and indicating paddlers ought to put on life jackets.

The workplace, together with its search-and-rescue arm and Bend Hearth and Rescue, responded Saturday. Bend police offered drones to assist the search.

The sheriff’s workplace mentioned its search-and-rescue workforce launched two drones within the Dillon Falls space Sunday. Fifteen members of a swift water rescue workforce searched areas highlighted by the drones, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned.

Three Okay-9 groups additionally joined the search effort and labored with marine patrol boats to scour the world downstream of the falls, the sheriff’s workplace added.

No updates had been accessible by Sunday night time. The sheriff’s workplace mentioned crews will resume their efforts Monday morning.