2 dead, 1 missing after being swept down Oregon waterfall
At least two people died after a group of six were swept over a waterfall in Oregon, prompting a search and rescue mission that continues as one remains missing as of Monday, authorities said.
The group went over Dillon Falls, which are rapids along the Deschutes River in central Oregon, near the city of Bend, on Saturday afternoon, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As the agency writes in a description of Dillon Falls on its website, the area is a popular location for visitors participating in water activities like boating.
Authorities have not shared details about the circumstances surrounding Saturday's incident. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office said it was initially reported just before 3 p.m. local time, prompting a response from deputies along with local fire officials and search and rescue teams. AirLink and a drone provided by the police department in Bend assisted with an aerial search, the sheriff said.
One person was confirmed dead at the site on Saturday, according to the sheriff's office. Another body was found Monday around 11 a.m. local time, the sheriff's office said. Three others were initially rescued from the river and taken by ambulance to a hospital in Bend. One other person who went over the falls had still not been found as of Monday afternoon.
"[Search and rescue] teams continue to work diligently, using all available resources," the sheriff's office said Monday. "Over the past two days, crews have utilized boats, drones, swift water rescue teams, and K-9 units to search, map, and narrow down high-probability locations along the river corridor between the Dillon Falls Day Use Area above the falls and the Aspen Day Use Area below the falls."
Authorities have not publicly identified the victims or survivors "to allow for proper family notification," but the sheriff's office said the two who have been found dead were female and the person who remains missing is a male.