Two Oregon Teens Rescued After Coast Guard Spots “SOS” in Snow
Two 19-year-old hikers who became trapped on the side of a mountain near Eugene, Oregon were rescued by the United States Coast Guard after their “SOS” signal was spotted in the snow.
Christian Farnsworth and Parker Jasmer were on a winter camping trip near Swastika Mountain around Christmas day and failed to return as expected on Dec. 29. The men were reported missing on New Year’s Eve.
Due to heavy snow in the area, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew assisted the Lane County Sheriff’s Department in locating Farnsworth and Jasmer.
The crew found the pair on Saturday, Jan. 1, and they were evacuated via helicopter to the Eugene Airport. No injuries were reported.
“These young men did a lot of things right to give themselves the best chance of being rescued,” said Lt. Maggie Champin, MH-65 aircraft commander for Sector North Bend. “By writing ‘SOS’ in the snow, staying near their vehicle and staying near logging roads, we were able to find them relatively quickly. We recommend hikers carry personal locator beacons while out in the back country.”
During the rescue mission, the helicopter crew also identified two other hikers in distress and reported them to the Lane County Sheriff’s Office.
Image source: KSLA 12
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