One person is dead and two more are missing after a group of six cleared Oregon waterfalls on Saturday, officials said.
The group crossed Dillon Falls on the Deschute River west of Bend before 3pm. This is when the 911 call came in, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook.
According to the sheriff’s office, one person has been declared dead at the scene, and a multiple search and rescue committee is currently underway to find the two missing people.
The office did not immediately identify anyone who died.
The sheriff’s office said three people were rescued from the water and taken to the St. Charles Health System medical centre in Bend. Those conditions are unknown.
Dillon Falls in central Oregon is approximately 173 miles southeast of Portland. A visit to central Oregon, which promotes tourism in the area, will have a 15-foot drop at the waterfall.
Photos posted by the sheriff’s office show dangerous signs warning visitors to nearby waterfalls, indicating that paddlers should wear life jackets.
The office responded on Saturday, bent its search and rescue arms and fire and rescue. Bend police provided drones to assist with searches.
The Sheriff’s Office said the search and rescue team launched two drones in the Dillon Falls area on Sunday. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 15 members of the Swift Water Rescue team searched areas highlighted by drones.
Three K-9 teams participated in the search effort and worked with marine patrol boats to wash away the area downstream of the waterfall, the sheriff’s office added.
There were no updates by Sunday night. The sheriff’s office said crews will resume their efforts Monday morning.
