A family of four is safe today after a harrowing ordeal on the Russian River south of Healdsburg this past Friday.
The Press Democrat reports a mother, an adult, and two children became trapped in fast-moving water, clinging to a tree while stuck on their raft. Dramatic footage from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office shows a paramedic being lowered from a helicopter to hoist the group to safety one by one.
While a fourth member of the party managed to swim to shore on her own, she was also airlifted to safety by the Henry-1 crew. Authorities say the group’s decision to wear life vests “significantly increased” their chances of survival in the dangerous currents.
With temperatures hitting 85 degrees and drawing massive crowds to the water this weekend, officials are reminding everyone that river conditions can turn deadly in an instant.