ESTACADA, Ore. -- Rescue crews rappeled to a man who tumbled 200 feet down an embankment along the Clackamas River Monday evening.

Nicholas Harris, 20, flagged down an ambulance for help after his friend, Danny Russell fell. The ambulance had been responding to a different 9-1-1 call.

The two men told authorities they were walking on the side of a steep embankment to access the Clackamas River when the earth collapsed beneath their feet.

 Slideshow: Photos of rescue

"This caused Danny Crane to tumble uncontrollably down the steep embankment, an estimated 200 feet, where Crane finally came to a rest, injured, conscious and breathing," said detective Jim Strovink with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

The Clackamas Fire District used its climbing experts to lead the rescue; they rappeled down to Crane, strapped him into a special stretcher and then carefully pulled hiim up the steep embankment.

"Crane was removed from this difficult location and air lifted by Life Flight to Oregon Health Sciences University Hospital. Crane was describing to attending medical personnel on the scene of his neck, shoulder and abdominal pain," Strovink said.

Meantime, authorities realized there was a warrant out of Harris' arrest. He was arrested on an outstanding theft warrant issued by the Salem Police Department.