A Portland family is grieving the loss of two young children this week.
A 47-year-old man, later identified as Jeremy Stiles, was holding his 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son on the shore at Falcon Cove, near the county line between Clatsop and Tillamook, when all three were hit by a wave shortly and swept out to sea. The incident occurred shortly after noon on Saturday.
An officer from the Manzanita Police Department was first on the scene to find Stiles and his daughter, still in the ocean and struggling to get to shore. The officer bravely dove in and was able to rescue the girl.
Both father and daughter were unresponsive. They were transported by ambulance to Providence Seaside Hospital where, sadly, the 7-year-old daughter was pronounced dead. The father, Stiles, is expected to survive.
The 4-year-old son has not been located, despite an exhaustive search by the United States Coast Guard that included the use of helicopter and onshore crews. The search was called off after dark on Saturday.
The National Weather Service had issued high surf warnings over the weekend as the Oregon coast was hit with massive waves up to 30 feet tall and especially high spring tides, commonly known as “king tides.”
For latest weather hazards and warnings in our state, visit weather.gov/pqr.