Coast Guard Searching for Child Who Was Swept Away by Ocean Waves on Oregon Coast

UPDATE: One child was pronounced dead at the hospital, and the Coast Guard suspended its search for the second child at sunset Saturday evening.

Oregon Coast. (Bonnie Moreland / Flickr)
By Tess Riski

A man and two children were swept away by high ocean waves at the Oregon Coast on Saturday afternoon.

Police identified the man as 47-year-old Jeremy Stiles, a Portland resident, and said he is the father of the two children.

Stiles and one child were recovered near Falcon Cove, south of Cannon Beach, and were rushed to the hospital Saturday afternoon. The child, a 7-year-old girl, was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The Coast Guard suspended its helicopter search for the second child, a 4-year-old boy, at sunset Saturday evening. He has not been located.

The conditions Saturday appeared especially treacherous. KPTV reported swells as big as 35 feet. That's drawn spectators to overlooks, wanting to see the huge swells, despite warnings to stay away.

Oregon State Police are investigating the incident.

This post has been updated.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.