Second Death This Winter on Oregon Coast: Happy Valley Man Swept Out Near Depoe Bay

Published 01/18/25 at 1:25 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Depoe Bay, Oregon) – A 45-year-old Happy Valley man died Wednesday after getting swept out to sea, hit by a large wave that crashed onto the rocky shelf he was fishing from. It is the second death on the Oregon coast in a month by oceanic conditions, with another man on the south coast disappearing while photographing king tides back in December. (Above: the rather dangerous section at the north end of Otter Crest Loop / Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

On January 15, Oregon State Police (OSP) responded to the northern end of Otter Crest Loop (just south of Depoe Bay) at at 2:04 p.m., with emergency personnel already in the water trying to retrieve Hong B Su of Happy Valley. Su had been fishing with a friend on the rocks when he was pulled into the ocean by a big wave given further energy by high king tides.

OSP said Su was in the water for 39 minutes before he was recovered by the US Coast Guard. He was then taken to the Depoe Bay Coast Guard station where it was pronounced deceased.

This is an area with extremely active waters because they're right up against an abrupt rocky surface. Even in the calmest conditions this small segment of Oregon coastline is too dangerous for the average person to attempt a rescue.

A trio runs from a large incoming wave - they were soaked a second later / Oregon Coast Beach Connection

January 15 was the tail end of the king tides, the highest tides of the year. However, high tides don't necessarily translate to massive waves sweeping over rocky areas. It could well have been a kind of rogue wave that happens during these rougher conditions.

On the south Oregon coast, back on December 15 a North Bend man was reported missing to Coos County Sheriff's after he had gone out near Coos Bay to take photographs of king tides. His belongings were found at a railroad bridge.

Coos Bay / Jaimie Bird - King Tides Project

72-year-old Joseph C. Neill's body was discovered on January 5 by staff from Clausen Oyster Farms, over a mile from where his personal items had been found. Coos County Sheriffs had to use a boat to retrieve the body, later identified as Neill.

King Tides Safety on Washington / Oregon Coast: Or How Not To Get Killed

Wednesday's incident comes on the heels of another rescue in Cannon Beach this week, after a group of youth went boogie boarding just before sunset during king tides. One did not make it back, and a rescue swimmer had to look for him in the dark, eventually finding him.

The young man was close to hypothermia, Oregon coast officials said. Rescuer on N. Oregon Coast Finds Swimmer in the Dark, in 8-Foot Waves Off Cannon Beach

Safety Tips video below

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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