A fisherman was rescued in Astoria, Oregon, after becoming trapped under a massive boulder at the Hammond Marina jetty on a recent Saturday morning. Joe Little, 28, was fishing alone when a rock gave way, pinning him and creating a life-threatening situation.
His grandmother, Kelly Simonson, stated that Little felt the rock begin to move. He attempted to brace himself with his feet, but the boulder proved too large, causing him to slip and become covered by it. Little quickly realized he was trapped beneath the high tide line and required immediate assistance to avoid drowning.
Fortunately, Little's Bluetooth earbuds remained connected to his phone, allowing him to activate Apple's virtual assistant. His mother, Mindy, confirmed that Little managed to use Siri to call 911 around 7 a.m., initiating the rescue operation.
Sgt. Dylan McCoy of the Warrenton Police Department reported that responders tracked Little's location by honking their vehicle horns while a dispatcher communicated with him by phone, asking if the sounds were getting closer. Police then deployed a drone, which successfully located Little. The drone footage revealed him crushed beneath the boulder, with only his upper body and feet visible.
Fire officials arrived on the scene and proceeded with caution. Sgt. McCoy explained that they carefully removed some of the smaller rocks surrounding Little, which enabled them to move him from underneath the extremely large boulder that had him trapped. Due to the dangerous terrain, local officials determined it was unsafe to remove Little on foot and contacted the U.S. Coast Guard.
Dramatic footage released by the USCG shows guardsmen descending onto the jetty from a helicopter around 9 a.m. They extracted Little in a gurney, hoisting him from the treacherous location. He was then transported for medical care.
Little is currently recovering at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital (OHSU) in Portland. He is being treated for severe facial injuries, including a broken jaw. He is scheduled for an 8-hour facial reconstruction surgery on Thursday.
Mindy, Little's mother, described his injuries, stating, "His face got smashed. He’s almost unrecognizable." Despite the severity of his condition, she expressed profound relief, adding with amazement, "It’s a miracle that my son is alive."