Tourists rescued from Oregon beach after spelling ‘SOS’ with driftwood
Posted September 22, 2026 11:41 am
2 min read
Three tourists were rescued after being stranded on a secluded beach in Tillamook, Ore., after tides trapped them, officials said Monday.
On Sept. 16, the Netarts-Oceanside Rural Fire Protection District received a report that the three tourists had become stranded on the Lost Boy Beach, which is a secluded Tillamook County cove, for five hours, according to The Oregonian.
Fire Chief Jeff McBrayer told the Statesman Journal that the tourists, two men and one woman in their mid-20s, were “tourists trying to get a dramatic photo opportunity.”
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The identities of the individuals were not released.
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Officials told the outlet that the tourists contacted emergency services using their cell phone and made an SOS sign with driftwood.
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The tourists were at risk of hypothermia because of the cold water and high winds, officials added.
The Netarts-Oceanside Fire District shared photos of the visitors who became stranded on Lost Boy Beach in a post on Facebook, showing the SOS sign.
“Typically, we would wait until low tide, but that would have been late at night,” McBrayer told NBC News. “Our water rescue team used a rope system to access the victims, placed them in life vests and assisted them through the surf to safety.”
McBrayer said that the tourists were evaluated for injuries and only had “minor scrapes and bumps, but no serious injuries.”
The Netarts-Oceanside Fire District Chief said that his office has seen an uptick in visitors at Lost Boy Beach, looking to make videos to post on social media.
He warned visitors of the dangerous cliff sides in the area and the danger of higher tides.
“We would encourage all visitors to utilize a tide app on their phones and talk to locals before trying to access dangerous areas on the coast,” McBrayer told NBC News.
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