Longview man, injured in fall, subject of search

June 14, 2007

Wahkiakum County Search and Rescue located Friday a Longview man who fell off a cliff at County Line Park Thursday and spent the night lying injured.

The man, Michael Mansker, 44, Longview, was flown by US Coach Guard helicopter to Oregon Health Science University Hospital where he was being treated for head injuries and fractures in his back, pelvis and ankle.

A female friend of Mansker reported him missing about 10:30 p.m. Thursday. She said she and friends had been looking for him for several hours; they had last seen him about 2:30 p.m. Thursday as he went hiking up a steep trail by a waterfall in the bluffs above the park.

The sheriff’s office activated its search and rescue unit under the direction of Deputy Sheriff Bill Tawater. The unit arrived on the scene around 1:20 a.m. Friday and began searching the area which the woman had suggested, using a two-man quick reaction team and a dog team. About 2:30 a.m., a Coast Guard helicopter from Astoria arrived; it had night vision, thermal imaging and spotlight capability.

After looking till around 4 a.m. without success, the search was reset for 7 a.m. Friday.

The search resumed with two teams on the ground and the helicopter, but they weren’t able to find Mansker.

About 3 p.m., Tawater said, a male friend of Mansker arrived and offered to help search; he said he knew areas where Mansker liked to hike

About 30 minutes later, a QWEST telephone lineman working across from the entrance of the park reported hearing cries for help, and the searchers located Mansker west of the waterfall, “in heavy vegetation at the base of a 100-150-foot cliff.”

Tawater said Mansker was partially hidden by vegetation which screened him from the CG helicopters high tech equipment.

The searchers attempted to airlift Mansker from the site, but trees prevented the helicopter crew from lowering equipment to the ground. Searchers then cut down some trees, and they were able to get his stretcher to the helicopter for transport to the hospital around 5 p.m.

Two members of the search crew were injured in the operation. One slipped on the steep trail and injured a knee; the other was injured by flying debris stirred up by the helicopter.

Mansker’s friends may face criminal charges, Tawater said.

Officers are investigating the female’s statements; she could be charged with making false statements to law enforcement officers.

The male who arrived Friday afternoon was wanted on an outstanding warrant from Wahkiakum County for a recreational fishing violation.

.