Mainer Pinned Under Rocks While Hiking in The Forks Rescued

Maine is home to more than 17 million acres of rich forestland. Fortunately for us, the majority of that forestland remains accessible for different forms of recreation including four wheeling, skiing, snowmobiling and hiking.

That's exactly what a pair of people were doing Saturday in The Forks on Mosquito Mountain Trail. 30-year-old Clayford Cabilas of Bangor and his friend, Precious Magallanes, 27 of the Phillipines, were out hiking for the afternoon when the unthinkable happened.

According to the Kennebec Journal, the two were getting ready to end their hike and were nearing the trailhead when they came across a pile of rocks that had been put into place by construction equipment. Cabilas wanted to snag a photo high atop the rock pile and as he was posing he slipped and fell. When he fell it caused the rock pile to shift pinning him underneath one of the rocks.

Magallanes attempted to free her trapped friend but was unable. Magallanes then attempted to call 911 but initially had no luck due to spotty cell coverage. Eventually she was able to get a call through and several Maine agencies responded to the scene including the Maine Warden Service, Upper Kennebec Valley Ambulance, LifeFlight, West Forks Fire & Rescue, NorthStar Ambulance and the Somerset County Sheriff's Office.

After responding to the scene, officials were able to free Cabilas by using the a combination of the jaws of life and air bags to help move and secure the rock he was pinned under. Cabilas had a fractured arm and leg, head injury, and was beginning to suffer the effects of hypothermia. He was transported to a waiting helicopter and flown to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.

This afternoon West Forks Fire and Rescue Department was toned out for a hiker that had slipped on a rock and became...
Posted by West Forks Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday, March 20, 2021

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