News Release

ASTORIA, Ore. - The Coast Guard hoists two injured men from the forest approximately ten miles east of Tillamook, Ore., July 9, 2012. The rescue required two aviation survival technicians and hoists were performed from an approximate 200-foot hover. U.S. Coast Guard video by Sector Columbia River, Ore.

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard hoisted two injured men from the forest approximately 10 miles east of Tillamook, Ore., Monday.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, located in Astoria, received a request for search-and-rescue assistance from Tillamook County, Ore., Fire and Rescue at approximately 1: 40 p.m., stating two members of a work crew were injured and stranded after falling and sliding down steep, rugged terrain east of Tillamook.

Sector Columbia River launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria at approximately 2:27 p.m. The crew arrived on scene at approximately 2:51 p.m., and located the men. The crew lowered two aviation survival technicians, commonly referred to as “rescue swimmers”, to assist the injured men.

After preparing the men, the crew hoisted them both, from an approximate 200-foot hover, to the helicopter. They were transported to a clearing in the forest, near a road, approximately 100 yards uphill from the hoist scene. Awaiting Tillamook Fire and Rescue crews transported one man to a local hospital via ambulance. A Life Flight helicopter crew from Portland, Ore., transported the other man to a Portland hospital for medical treatment.

One worker reportedly has an injured ankle while the other reportedly has injuries to his spine, pelvis and abdomen. No official medical evaluation has been made at the time of this release.

For additional information, please contact Petty Officer 3^rd Class Nate Littlejohn at (816) 582-1725.