Fisherman Trapped Under Boulder Uses Siri to Call for Help

An Oregon fisherman survived a terrifying accident after a large boulder pinned him beneath a rocky jetty, leaving him trapped near the high-tide waterline. Unable to free himself, he used Siri through his wireless earbuds to call 911.

Joe Little, 28, was fishing alone at Hammond Marina near Astoria early Saturday morning when a large rock he had previously sat on suddenly shifted. The boulder rolled over him, trapping him among the rocks.

A Voice Assistant Becomes His Lifeline

Little was unable to reach his phone directly, but his Bluetooth earbuds remained connected. He used Siri to place the emergency call, allowing authorities to begin searching for him.

Warrenton police and firefighters were dispatched shortly after 7 a.m. Because the rocky jetty was dangerous and Little was difficult to locate, rescuers used vehicle horns and asked him through the emergency call whether he could hear them.

Officers then deployed a drone. Sergeant Dylan McCoy located Little approximately three minutes after the drone was launched, with only part of his upper body and his feet visible from beneath the boulder.

Rescuers Had to Work Around the Boulder

The rescue team determined that attempting to move the enormous boulder directly would be too dangerous. Instead, firefighters removed smaller rocks beneath Little, creating enough space to pull him out.

The unstable terrain then created another challenge. Carrying Little out by foot was considered unsafe, so a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was called to the scene.

Coast Guard personnel eventually hoisted Little from the jetty and transported him to Air Station Astoria, where medical crews were waiting to take him to hospital.

A Long Recovery Ahead

Little was taken to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland with serious facial injuries, including a broken jaw. His family said he was expected to undergo reconstructive surgery as he began a lengthy recovery.

His family has described his survival as remarkable, particularly because he was trapped below the high-tide waterline. They said the rising water could have created an even more dangerous situation had rescuers not located him.

The rescue involved local police and firefighters, a drone operator and the U.S. Coast Guard. For Little, a voice command to his phone became the crucial first step in bringing rescuers to his location.

Sources

• KPTV — “’It’s a miracle’: Hammond man used Siri to call 911 while being trapped under boulder near Astoria” — September 28, 2026.
• KOIN — “’It’s a miracle my son’s alive’: Oregon fisherman rescued from beneath boulder faces long recovery” — September 29, 2026.
• Gray News / KPTV — “Man trapped under massive boulder uses Siri to call 911” — October 1, 2026.
• U.S. Coast Guard — Rescue response at Hammond Marina near Astoria, Oregon — September 26, 2026.