A 25-year-old Los Angeles man died March 4 after falling 20 feet while hiking along a dangerous part of Oregon’s coast, according to Oregon State Police, marking the eighth fatality at the site since 2009.
The hiker, identified as Henry Minh Hoang of West Covina—a suburb in Los Angeles County—was hiking beyond a safety barrier in the so-called “punch bowl” at the Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, about 100 miles west of Portland, when he slipped and fell to the water’s edge around 5 p.m. last Saturday.
“The victim was reportedly knocked unconscious from the fall and was swept into the ocean by the waves,” Oregon police said in a statement. “Witnesses lost sight of the victim and the rescue operation later transitioned into a likely recovery operation.”
Due to weather and the descent of nightfall, recovery efforts resumed the following morning.
His body was recovered March 5 around 4 p.m. at the bottom of a nearby cliff, authorities said.
Hoang was a biomedical engineering graduate from the University of California–Irvine. His sister Mimi described him as a “kind soul” and one who “touched everyone’s heart.”
“He was a light to all who knew him with the brightest smile,” Mimi wrote on Facebook March 8.
“Henry was a free-spirited person who loved to travel and had dreams of exploring the world. He was giving, compassionate, and respected by his peers. He was a great role model to many with a bright future ahead of him,” his family wrote on the page.
Every year, Cape Kiwanda attracts visitors for its breathtaking ocean views. But the location has been one of the deadliest coastal spots in Oregon in recent years. According to the park’s website, beyond the safety fence “the cliff edge can—and will—crumble without warning.”
“It’s dangerous, and people have died after climbing over the safety fences. Don’t do it. The views are spectacular from the established viewpoints, on the safe side of the fence,” the website reads.
Seven people, including several teenagers, have died at the location in the last decade.
Fencing and signs alerting to avoid the bluff have been in place since 1996. In 2009, after the last deadly incident, the fencing blocking bluff access was further extended.
