A 7-year-old girl died and a 4-year-old boy is missing after they were swept into the ocean in the Falcon Cove area near the Clatsop/ Tillamook county line on Saturday.
Oregon State Police says in a statement that emergency services responded to the call that a man was holding two children when the three were overtaken by a wave at 12:38pm Saturday. The man, later identified as 47-year-old Jeremy Stiles of Portland, was able to get out of the water and an officer went into the surf to rescue the girl, who later died after being transported to Providence Seaside Hospital. The US Coast Guard sent helicopters to aid in the search for the 4-year-old boy, but the search had to be suspended at sunset. The search was officially called off late Sunday.
Cannon Beach Fire Department, Cannon Beach Police Department and Manzanita Police Department all assisted on scene.
There is a Beach Hazards Statement for the Oregon Coast until 4pm Sunday, indicating potentially life threatening conditions in the surf zone. Sneaker waves can suddenly knock people off their feet and quickly pull them in to the frigid ocean. Water rises may be especially high around high tide at 2 pm for the North Oregon coast and 1 pm for the Central Coast.
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