Two individuals were reported missing to the Curry County Sheriff’s Dispatch 911 center late Monday evening, July 1st, at about 9:54pm, after becoming separated while walking down the trail to Natural Bridges, about twelve miles north of Brookings.
The 911 Dispatch center received a call from Jason Gaudio, reporting that he and his friend, 23 year old Rayse Kawamoto, from Hawaii, had met another male individual, later identified as 27 year old Austin Dewart from Pasadena, California, while walking down the trail to Natural Bridges and that he was worried after neither had returned to the parking lot after it had become dark.
The two individuals reported missing were also unfamiliar with the area and the information was relayed to the Oregon State Police, who asked for assistance from the Curry County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team.
An OSP State Trooper responded to the Natural Bridge area and contacted Gaudio as 6 members of the Search and Rescue Team arrived with Sheriff John Ward as they geared up and started down the trail in the dark.
Both Kawamato and Dewart were located at near midnight on the trail, and guided them back to the parking lot where their vehicles were parked.
