Two Oregon men passed away after going missing while hunting for Sasquatch in the wilderness on Christmas Eve.
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The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the deaths of the two men in a statement on Facebook. It was revealed that on Christmas Day, the Skamania County Communications Center received a report of two overdue subjects who were searching for Sasquatch in eastern Skamania County. They were planning to return home the day before.
However, when the pair did not return home, a family member reported them missing and endangered. Flock camera footage was accessed to find out where the two had gone.
“A recently installed Flock camera did locate the associated vehicle with the missing/endangered subjects,” the sheriff’s office stated. “Allowing a Skamania County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Coordinator to assist in locating the missing subjects’ vehicle off of Oklahoma Road, near Willard, Washington.”
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office further reported that over the course of three days, its search and rescue coordinator acquired more than 60 volunteer search and rescue personnel. This included canine, drone, and ground search teams. Additionally, an air asset was reportedly acquired from the U.S. Coast Guard in Astoria, Oregon.
The Two Men Were Found Deceased in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Amid the “grueling” three-day search, the 59-year-old and 37-year-old men, both from Portland, were found deceased in a heavily wooded area of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office stated that both deaths appear to be due to exposure. This was based on weather conditions and ill-preparedness.
The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office recognized the volunteers who helped in the search.
“These phenomenal volunteers also fought through freezing temperatures, snow, high water levels, heavy rain, downfall, and heavily wooded terrain,” the sheriff’s office continued. “Their exhaustive search efforts resulted in bringing family members home to their loved ones.”
Among the agencies that assisted in the search were Skamania County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Silver Star Search and Rescue, P.N.W. Search and Rescue, Crag Rats, Wasco County Search and Rescue, and the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office.
“We would also like to acknowledge the United States Coast Guard crew,” the sheriff’s office noted. “Who provided an invaluable service and flew in inclement weather in an attempt to assist with this mission.”
Sasquatch was reportedly spotted in a two-decade-old nature documentary clip in early August. The film’s director, William Reeve, and his crew were north of Quebec near the Arctic Circle in Canada.