A family outing to Multnomah Falls in Oregon ended in tragedy when a father of five died following a devastating fall from a trail.
The accident took place on Saturday, July 1, when the man, a resident of Beaverton, slipped and fell from a switchback on the trail, plunging approximately 150 feet. Deputy John Plock of the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office reported the details of the incident. The family had embarked on what began as a serene day at the falls when the unexpected catastrophe occurred.
Immediately following the incident, emergency teams from the Corbett Fire District and search and rescue personnel from the sheriff’s office were dispatched. In a post on Twitter, the firefighters revealed that, despite their exhaustive efforts, the man tragically succumbed to his injuries. The process of locating the victim posed a significant challenge to the responders. It took nearly an hour for the rescuers to ascertain his exact location due to the dense vegetation and rugged terrain. Regrettably, neither the man’s family nor any other observers were in a position to witness the fall or identify where he landed.
On the day of the incident, Multnomah Falls, which is situated in the stunning scenery of the Columbia River Gorge, approximately 30 miles east of Portland, drew a considerable number of visitors. The authorities have taken this occasion to remind hikers of the necessity of appropriate preparation and cautious behavior when traversing the falls’ unpaved trails.
As the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office continues to explore the circumstances of the incident, they have expressed their condolences to the bereaved family.