Man clings to tree in Los Angeles River as rescuers try to save him, video shows
A man clinging to a tree in the fast-moving Los Angeles River on Wednesday was rescued by firefighters, video from local TV stations shows.
The man was safely brought to shore in Atwater Village after rescue crews reached him in the morning, and he was then evaluated by paramedics, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said in a news release.
Fire officials said on Facebook that the swift water rescue was just south of Colorado Boulevard on the river, which was swollen as a result of a rain storm that has rolled through Southern California.
Firefighters said the Los Angeles River drops to the ocean at a rate of 16 feet per mile — a “steep descent” that “increases the velocity of the water which makes it incredibly dangerous for anyone to be in it.”
“Please — don’t be tempted to go check it out,” firefighters warned. “Stay out and stay safe.”
Video shows firefighters coming to the man’s rescue in an inflatable raft, which was tethered to shore, KABC reports. The rescuers put a life jacket and helmet on the man, got him into the boat and brought him to shore.
KTLA reported that the man “was stuck in heavy brush ... and was about 40 feet from the shore when Los Angeles Fire Department swift water rescuers spotted him shortly after 10 a.m.”
This story was originally published November 27, 2019 at 2:09 PM with the headline "Man clings to tree in Los Angeles River as rescuers try to save him, video shows."
