A woman was airlifted from a cliff face near Roads End Point on Sunday afternoon after sustaining injuries while hiking in the area just south of God’s Thumb, a rugged stretch of the Oregon coast known for its unstable and hazardous terrain.
North Lincoln Fire and Rescue received the call shortly before 2:00pm and located the patient approximately halfway down the cliff face. Recognizing the difficulty of the terrain and the complexity of the operation, crews called in additional support from the Lincoln County Technical Rescue Team and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter unit based out of Newport.
Fire crews reached the patient, stabilized her, and prepared her for aerial extraction. The Coast Guard helicopter crew successfully hoisted her from the cliff and transported her to a local hospital. Her injuries were reported as non-life-threatening.
A video of the hoist operation, released by the U.S. Coast Guard, can be viewed below.
North Lincoln Fire and Rescue extended thanks to the Coast Guard, the Lincoln County Technical Rescue Team, and the Lincoln City Police Department for their coordinated response to the incident.
Officials are reminding hikers and visitors to stay on designated trails throughout the Roads End and God’s Thumb areas. Venturing off established paths can quickly lead to dangerous situations that put rescuers at risk and carry significant costs to taxpayers. Coastal cliffs and terrain in the area can be unstable and hazardous, particularly near steep drop-offs.
