Two 14-year-old teens became trapped on a steep cliff near God’s Thumb in Lincoln County, Oregon, on July 5, 2025. When a firefighter from North Lincoln Fire & Rescue attempted to help them, he also became stuck. The U.S. Coast Guard responded with a MH-60 helicopter from Astoria and successfully airlifted all three individuals to safety, transferring them to Siletz Bay State Airfield. The Coast Guard emphasized their frequent joint training with local agencies to handle such rescues in the challenging Pacific Northwest terrain.

This rescue marked the fifth such incident in the area this year and the second involving a helicopter response near God’s Thumb. North Lincoln Fire & Rescue highlighted the strain these rescues place on emergency resources, especially during busy holiday weekends, estimating the cost of this operation at around $20,000. Authorities urged hikers to stay on designated trails and avoid climbing from the beach to God’s Thumb to prevent further dangerous situations.