UMATILLA COUNTY, OREGON — A semi-truck driver had to be rescued by rope after his tractor-trailer crashed through a guardrail and plunged approximately 60 feet off a cliff, rolling multiple times before coming to rest on Union Pacific railroad tracks along Highway 730.

The crash occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Monday, March 9, 2026, near milepost 8 on Highway 730 in Umatilla County. According to Oregon State Police, Edgar Silva-Rosas, 31, of Yakima, lost control of his semi truck and trailer, crashing through a guardrail and going over the cliff. High winds may have been a factor, OSP indicated. The vehicle rolled several times during the 60-foot descent before coming to a stop on the railroad tracks below.

Emergency responders from the Umatilla Rural Fire Protection District used ropes to climb down the embankment and reach Silva-Rosas. "He was conscious," said Fire Chief Chris Baker. "He was assisted up the embankment by firefighters." Silva-Rosas was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston. The nature of his injuries was not reported by state police.

A hazardous materials team offloaded diesel fuel from the semi to prevent a fuel leak near the water. Powerlines, guardrails, retaining walls, and railroad tracks were all damaged in the crash. Highway 730 was limited to a single lane for approximately eight hours, with both lanes closed intermittently during the recovery process. Rail traffic on the Union Pacific line was affected for approximately 12 hours.

"It was an extended operation that went well into the next morning," Baker said. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and it is not yet known what caused Silva-Rosas to swerve off the road.

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