Fisherman rescued after Siri called 911 in Astoria

Joe Little, 28, was rescued early Saturday after a boulder fell on him at the Hammond Marina jetty in Astoria, Oregon, and he used Siri to call 911.

The incident occurred around 7 a.m. when a large rock gave way and pinned Little beneath the high‑tide line. His Bluetooth earbuds remained connected to his phone, allowing him to activate the Apple virtual assistant and summon emergency responders.

Warrenton Police Department Sgt. Dylan McCoy said dispatchers guided rescuers by asking Little if they could hear honking car horns, a sound the officers used to triangulate his location. A police‑launched drone then spotted the fisherman, showing only his upper body and feet beneath the boulder.

Fire officials carefully removed smaller rocks to create a safe path, after which the U.S. Coast Guard was called in. A Coast Guard helicopter arrived around 9 a.m., lowered a crew onto the jetty, and lifted Little onto a gurney.

Little was taken to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland, where doctors confirmed severe facial injuries, including a broken jaw. He is scheduled for an eight‑hour facial reconstruction surgery later in the week.

"His face got smashed. He's almost unrecognizable," his mother Mindy Little said, adding, "It's a miracle that my son is alive." Grandmother Kelly Simonson described how Little felt the boulder move, tried to brace it, but it slipped over him.

The rescue underscores the growing role of voice‑activated assistants in emergency situations, especially in remote or hazardous locations where traditional communication methods may be unavailable.

Local officials praised the coordinated response and noted that the terrain made a foot‑based rescue unsafe, prompting the involvement of the Coast Guard.

Little remains hospitalized, recovering under the care of specialists as he prepares for reconstructive surgery.