Photo: Edwin Remsburg/VW Pics via Getty
A 67-year-old man is presumed dead after he fell into the ocean after attempting to jump across a narrow inlet located along the Oregon coastline.
According to theOregon State Police, Steve Allen of Walnut Creek, Calif., was visiting Siuslaw National Forest on Thursday when he attempted to jump across Devils Churn, a popular destination due to its views.
“It looks like you can jump across, but the other side is steep and slick,” witness Andy Nelson toldYachatsNews. “He just missed his footing and fell back into the water.”
Rescue agencies who spotted Allen before he vanished into the ocean said he appeared unresponsive.
The United States Coast Guard and other rescue groups called off their search for Allen later that evening, believing he was dead, police said.
Edwin Remsburg/VW Pics via Getty
“It was cold … he was struggling,” Nelson told the outlet. “And then it became hard for him to hold on. Then he let go. It was too late.”
“It was a really incredible effort to try to save him,” he added. “There was no way to get him out of there. We just couldn’t do it.”
Nelson said witnesses at the park did their best to comfort Allen’s wife, who was there when he fell into the water.
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On the hiking review website,All Trails, users have rated the area around Devils Churn as an “amazing” view that can be “daunting” with high winds. Many users recommend staying away from the edge of the inlet.
source: people.com
