Rafter vanishes in Oregon wilderness, survives five-day ordeal before helicopter rescue
A 26-year-old rafter who vanished during a trip on Oregon’s Illinois River was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter after surviving alone in rugged wilderness for five days.
Gabriel Vaughn was last seen around 4:15 p.m. Monday near Greenwall Rapids while rafting with a group, according to the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office.
Vaughn was wearing a blue dry suit, helmet and life jacket when he left the group to hike into the woods, telling others he planned to hike out toward the Chetco drainage, the sheriff’s office said.
When Vaughn failed to return, a multi-day search operation was launched involving the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard said an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station North Bend conducted multiple aerial searches throughout the week after receiving a request for assistance from the Oregon Search and Rescue Coordinator.
On Friday morning, a private party working with search teams found Vaughn in the Illinois River Valley, approximately two miles downstream from where he was last seen, officials said.
Rescuers determined he could not be safely evacuated on foot due to injuries to his hands and feet and requested helicopter support, according to the Coast Guard.
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The Coast Guard helicopter arrived and lowered a rescue swimmer to hoist Vaughn to safety. He was flown to Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay for evaluation.
Authorities did not immediately release details about how Vaughn survived in the remote terrain or the extent of his injuries.
The search effort spanned several days and required close coordination between federal and local responders, the Coast Guard said.