CPW helps rescue two people from truck in Arkansas River
(FREMONT COUNTY, Colo.) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) teamed up with multiple other agencies on Friday, May 10 to rescue two people from a truck that had plunged into the Arkansas River during heavy snow in Fremont County.
According to CPW, its agency was joined by the Salida Fire Department, Chaffee County EMS, and Colorado State Patrol for rescue efforts after two people became stranded atop a truck that was mostly submerged in the Arkansas River in Bighorn Sheep Canyon. CPW said the truck went into the river during heavy snowfall.
Despite freezing air and even colder waters, rescuers staged along Highway 50 and lowered a raft to the riverbank with three rescuers aboard to paddle toward the truck, where the two people were trapped on the roof.
Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
CPW said the rescuers successfully made it to the truck, helping the two people onto the raft and battling a swift current to get them to shore. After making it to shore, rescuers and the two people had to climb up a steep snow-covered embankment to reach waiting emergency responders.
The two people were checked by medical teams and were found to have suffered only minor injuries.
Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife Courtesy: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
All rescuers made it back to shore safely, even in extremely adverse conditions, and CPW said the truck was marked for removal once the weather clears.
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