Rafter vanishes in Oregon wilderness, survives five-day ordeal before helicopter rescue

A 26-year-old rafter who vanished during a travel connected Oregon’s Illinois River was rescued by a Coast Guard chopper aft surviving unsocial successful rugged wilderness for 5 days.

Gabriel Vaughn was past seen astir 4:15 p.m. Monday adjacent Greenwall Rapids portion rafting with a group, according to the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office.

Vaughn was wearing a bluish adust suit, helmet and beingness overgarment erstwhile helium near the radical to hike into the woods, telling others helium planned to hike retired toward the Chetco drainage, the sheriff’s bureau said.

When Vaughn failed to return, a multi-day hunt cognition was launched involving the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue squad and the U.S. Coast Guard.

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Gabriel Vaughn, 26, vanished aft mounting disconnected connected a hike unsocial during a rafting travel connected Oregon’s Illinois River, authorities said. (Josephine County Sheriff’s Office)

The Coast Guard said an MH-65 Dolphin chopper unit from Air Station North Bend conducted aggregate aerial searches passim the week aft receiving a petition for assistance from the Oregon Search and Rescue Coordinator.

The U.S. Coast Guard conducted aggregate aerial searches for Vaughn passim the week, officials said. (U.S. Coast Guard)

On Friday morning, a backstage enactment moving with hunt teams recovered Vaughn successful the Illinois River Valley, astir 2 miles downstream from wherever helium was past seen, officials said.

Rescuers determined helium could not beryllium safely evacuated connected ft owed to injuries to his hands and feet and requested chopper support, according to the Coast Guard.

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Due to injuries to Vaughn's hands and feet, a Coast Guard chopper had to hoist the missing rafter to safety, the Coast Guard said. (U.S. Coast Guard)

The Coast Guard chopper arrived and lowered a rescue swimmer to hoist Vaughn to safety. He was flown to Bay Area Hospital successful Coos Bay for evaluation.

Vaughn was taken to a infirmary for treatment, though officials did not item the grade of his injuries. (Josephine County Sheriff’s Office)

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Authorities did not instantly merchandise details astir however Vaughn survived successful the distant terrain oregon the grade of his injuries.

The hunt effort spanned respective days and required adjacent coordination betwixt national and section responders, the Coast Guard said.