The Thurston County Sheriffs Department said early Wednesday morning, October 30th, 2024 that his agency along with many others in Thurston County with the Thurston County Dive Rescue Team came to the aid of the Grays Harbor County Sheriffs Department to assist in locating and recovering the body of 24-year-old Haley Benjamin of Elma who fell from a old rotted train trestle on Friday evening October 25th.

On October 29, 2024, the Thurston County Dive Rescue Team, alongside law enforcement and firefighters from 10 agencies, united in a challenging and compassionate mission to bring closure to a grieving family. This operation involved multiple specialized resources, including rope systems, rafts, drones, and a crane. We are deeply thankful for the collaboration, expertise, and dedication of all involved.

The tragedy occurred when a woman walking on an abandoned railroad trestle with her family fell nearly 200 feet to the riverbank after a wooden tie broke beneath her. With rising waters carrying her to an inaccessible location, two Dive Team rafts were launched to search the challenging terrain of the shallow river. After an extensive and coordinated effort, she was located and respectfully recovered with the assistance of Lacey Fire’s Rescue 31 crane rig and transferred to the Gray’s Harbor County Coroner.