PILOT ROCK — A fall from a ledge in remote Umatilla County south of Pilot Rock left two men seriously injured and one dead.

The Umatilla County Sheriff Office reported the rescue and recovery effort required the help of numerous agencies and emergency responders, including an Oregon Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopter.

Kyler Carter, 23, called 911 on Friday, July 2, at approximately 9 a.m. and reported he and two friends, Cody Watson, 21, and Braydon Postma, 23, all of Pilot Rock, were injured in a fall.

The trio had been recreating at the Big Falls on West Birch Creek — a steep, rocky falls — south of Pilot Rock and had fallen approximately 50 feet off a ledge. The sheriff’s office also reported Carter said the fall occurred around 9 p.m. the night before.

He was unable to get cellphone service at the location of the accident and had to climb out and hike to a place so he could call 911.

Watson and Postma remained where they had fallen, according to the sheriff’s office, and Carter reported his friends had critical injuries.

The sheriff’s office activated its search and rescue unit, and the Pendleton Fire Department responded along with LifeFlight. The sheriff’s office also contacted the Oregon Office of Emergency Management and requested an aircraft with a hoist due to the nature of the injuries and the location.

Umatilla County sheriff’s deputies and their K-9 unit also responded. Search and rescue requested assistance from the U.S. Forest Service to see if any fire crews in the area could respond quickly, and contacted the Union County Search and Rescue to mobilize its rope team.

A Forest Service short-haul helicopter from McCall, Idaho, and an Oregon Army National Guard Black Hawk from Salem joined the effort to provide hoist capability.

A Forest Service 11-member fire crew with a fire paramedic was able to reach the location and provide initial assistance.

Upon arrival, according to the sheriff’s office, Watson was dead, and Carter and Postma had significant injuries.

Additional first responders hiked into the location. The multiple agencies coordinated a plan for the careful extraction of the survivors. Both needed immediate medical assistance. The sheriff’s office reported the Black Hawk team was able to extract Carter and Postma and transport them to St. Charles Medical Center, Bend.

Umatilla County sheriff’s deputies took over the death investigation.

Members of the search and rescue team remained with the body overnight until around 10 a.m. July 3, when another Black Hawk crew returned and assisted in recovery.

The sheriff’s office turned over the body to Burns Mortuary, Pendleton, and also reported any further information on the condition of Carter and Postma is unknown at this time.