Hiker dies after being swept over 43-foot waterfall in Washington, officials say
Benjamin K. Jones set out for a “Wednesday Waterfall” hike with friends in Washington, officials said.
His friends last saw the 25-year-old Vancouver man on the ledge of the Lower Lewis River Falls in Cougar before he was swept over the 43-foot falls and landed in a pool below, yelling for help, Skamania County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Witnesses said they tried to reach Jones but he went under the water and never resurfaced, officials said.
There was no cell service so his friends had to drive 28 minutes before they could call for help, officials said.
Search and rescue divers then found his body in 14 inches of water, west of the waterfall’s main pool, officials said.
The waterfall cascades 200-feet wide, and it’s located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, about 80 miles northeast of Portland.
Skamania County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind the public to stay on the trails and use established overlooks while viewing the falls.
This story was originally published October 1, 2021 at 3:46 PM with the headline "Hiker dies after being swept over 43-foot waterfall in Washington, officials say."
