26-Year-Old Rescued After Days in Oregon Wilderness

A 26-year-old man, identified as Gabriel Vaughn, was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter after spending five days alone in the challenging wilderness of Oregon’s Illinois River.

Vaughn was reported missing on Monday at around 4:15 p.m. while he was rafting with a group near Greenwall Rapids, as stated by the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office.

He had been wearing a blue dry suit, helmet, and life vest when he decided to leave the group and venture into the woods, mentioning he was heading toward the Chetco drainage.

When he did not return, a multi-day search involving the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Coast Guard was initiated.

The crew from an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter based at North Bend Air Station conducted several aerial searches throughout the week upon requests from the Oregon State Search and Rescue Coordinator.

On Friday morning, a private group collaborating with the search teams located Vaughn in the Illinois River Valley, roughly two miles from where he was last seen.

Upon finding him, rescuers observed that he had sustained injuries to his arms and legs, which made a foot evacuation impossible. Therefore, helicopter support was requested.

A Coast Guard helicopter then arrived, deployed a rescue swimmer, and successfully brought Vaughn to safety.

After his rescue, he was transported to Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay for medical evaluation.

Details regarding how Vaughn managed to survive in such a remote area, as well as the specifics of his injuries, have not been disclosed.

The extensive search operation required coordinated efforts between federal and local responders, according to the Coast Guard.