Emergency personnel responded to a drowning on the Rogue River near the Lobster Creek gravel bar area on Sunday. | Photo courtesy of the Curry County Sheriff's Office

From the Curry County Sheriff's Office:

On July 14th, 2024, at about 1:33pm, the Curry County Sheriff’s Dispatch overheard radio traffic through the Oregon State Police, regarding a drowning at the Lobster Creek gravel bar area, nine miles east of Gold Beach, Or. Dispatch sent patrol deputies and paged out Cal Ore Life Flight and the Gold Beach Fire Department.

The information gathered was that a forty-one-year-old male, later identified as Adam Birdsell, from Medford, Oregon, had drowned and had been under water for about four to six minutes. Less than two minutes after Birdsell went under water, a Sheriff’s Marine Boat out of Linn County arrived on scene, on their way down river from training with other marine deputies from around the state.

Without prior knowledge of a drowning and being flagged down and told about the drowning by witnesses, they began searching for Birdsell. The two marine deputies quickly located Birdsell submerged in about six feet of water. One of the deputies dove in and pulled Birdsell out of the water and onto their boat. Several other marine deputies and boats arrived to assist. The deputies started CPR immediately while they transported Birdsell to the boat ramp where Cal Ore Life Flight continued lifesaving efforts. Birdsell was transported to Curry General Hospital where he was pronounced deceased by medical staff.

Birdsell was on vacation with his family and friends, who witnessed the drowning. The Curry County District Attorney was notified and authorized release of Birdsell to Redwood Memorial Services out of Brookings. The Curry County Sheriff’s Office sends our condolences to the family and friends of Adam Birdsell. This was the second drowning in ten days at the same location.

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