YACHATS, Ore. – A man drowned Monday after falling into what’s known as Thor’s Well, a popular geological feature along the central Oregon coast, according to first responders.
The Yachats Rural Fire Protection District said multiple agencies were dispatched to the site after receiving reports of a person who had fallen into the water and appeared to be drowning.
When first responders arrived, they said they had difficulty locating the victim but determined the man was inside Thor’s Well.
A U.S. Coast Guard swimmer was eventually able to reach the victim in coordination with an agency helicopter.
Rescue operation around Thor’s Well in Oregon.
(Yachats Rural Fire Protection District / FOX Weather)
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The exact circumstances that led up to the incident remain unclear, with a bystander telling investigators they believed the man had been standing too close to the edge of the well before falling in.
Authorities did not say if the man was a swimmer or simply an onlooker watching the powerful sea currents.
Thor’s Well is often referred to as resembling a drainpipe, which appears to swallow ocean water along the rocky coastline.
According to locals, the feature likely originated as a sea cave that eventually collapsed, creating an opening estimated to be about 20 feet deep.
Storm systems and high tides can often cause sudden changes in water levels, which catch onlookers off guard and knock them into the ocean.
Thors Well, Oregon, a collapsed sea cave at Cape Perpetua.
(Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
While there is no scientific definition, NOAA says a sneaker wave is a rush of water that surges up the coast farther than expected.
Some waves can surge more than 150 feet up the beach and dislodge large objects, including logs and rocks.
The combination of the waves and cool water temperatures can make the situation even more perilous, as anyone who unexpectedly ends up in the ocean can suffer from hypothermia within minutes.
Authorities always remind visitors to pay attention to warning signs and avoid venturing too close to dangerous terrain.
According to NOAA, rough surf kills more people along the West Coast than all other weather hazards, including rip currents.
