Tourist drowns after falling into Thor's Well on Oregon coast

A man drowned after falling into Thor's Well, a naturally formed sinkhole on the central Oregon coast, authorities said, marking the third fatality at the site since 2017.

Emergency crews responded to reports of a man in the water and appearing to be drowning at about 3:40 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025, according to the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District. First responders found the man already deceased and floating facedown in the 20-foot-deep hole; the body periodically vanished and reappeared as ocean water rushed in and out with the tide.

Because of powerful wave action and the well's dangerous configuration, local fire and sheriff's crews requested assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon State Police and the Lincoln County Technical Rescue Team. Responding agencies included the Yachats Rural Fire Protection District, Central Oregon Coast Fire and Rescue, Seal Rock Fire and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. A Coast Guard helicopter arrived about 4:10 p.m., roughly 30 minutes after the initial call.

A 31-year-old Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Tyler Gantt, was lowered from the helicopter on a cable and recovered the man's body on his third attempt, officials said. Gantt said the operation was among the most hazardous of his 10 years of rescue diving because the well's opening was narrower than expected and the cable alternated between slack and tension as the water level rose and fell. He said it took about 20 minutes to retrieve the body and secure it for removal.

"When you show up to that it’s really just, 'Oh man, this sucks,'" Gantt told the Lincoln Chronicle. He said he was frustrated after seeing people return to the edge of the well and peer inside about an hour after the recovery, adding that "there’s nothing in it. The only cool thing about it to see is the waves coming out of the spout from a safe distance."

Officials said the events leading up to the man's fall were unclear. Bystanders initially provided conflicting accounts, but one witness told responders the subject had been getting too close to the edge of the hole.

Thor's Well sits on the rocky shoreline near Cape Perpetua and is a popular, frequently photographed attraction despite official warnings and signage about its hazards. The feature, sometimes called the "drainpipe of the Pacific," is believed to have formed as a sea cave carved by waves before its roof collapsed; openings in the top and bottom produce the appearance of water draining into a bottomless hole as waves move in and out.

The Yachats Rural Fire Protection District and other local agencies have repeatedly warned visitors to maintain a safe distance because wave surges and changing tides can sweep people into the well or nearby surf. The district and responding agencies did not release the victim's name pending family notification.

This incident is at least the third drowning recorded at Thor's Well since 2017. Authorities urged visitors to heed posted warnings and exercise caution at all ocean vantage points along the central Oregon coastline.