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| MH-60 Jayhawk ©USCG (archive) |
WARRENTON, Ore. — After several unsuccessful attempts a Coast Guard aircrew was unable to medically evacuate an injured hiker who fell while rappelling near Big Creek Falls on the Lewis River in Skamania County, Washington, Sunday afternoon.
The Skamania County rescue ground party carried the injured hiker to a nearby landing area where they transferred the patient to a Life Flight aircrew who transported the patient to a hospital.
The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center requested the assistance from a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew at 11:50 a.m. The Jayhawk helicopter crew immediately launched and was airborne by 12:15 p.m. The aircrew arrived on scene at 12:55 p.m. After the unsuccessful attempts the aircrew departed the rescue scene at 2:43 p.m. and flew to Portland to refuel before returning to the air station in Warrenton.
The hiker reportedly fell the last 20 feet of a 150-foot decline that he was using a rope to rappel down. Hoist operations were originally attempted because of the dangerous terrain and the severity of the reported injury.
-USCG-