Authorities have shared a somber update regarding the search for three hikers who went missing.
On Wednesday, June 18, three individuals embarked on a hiking trip when reports reached the police about them entering the water at Soda Springs.
The men leaped into Rattlesnake Falls, California, but did not emerge after jumping.
These hikers were part of a more extensive group of people. The other members needed helicopter rescue on June 19 due to the area’s inaccessibility, as reported by USA Today.
On that Wednesday, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office released a statement: “Shortly before 3 p.m. this afternoon, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Heath Falls in Soda Springs following reports that three individuals entered the water and did not resurface.”
The statement continued: “Multiple resources have been deployed for the search, including the Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, Search and Rescue units, CAL FIRE’s Technical Rescue Team, and CHP’s helicopter.
“The terrain is extremely remote and difficult to access, making rescue efforts especially challenging.”
Subsequent updates have been provided by law enforcement. On Thursday, June 19, they announced that the ongoing search had been delayed due to adverse weather conditions.
The search efforts were picked up again on Friday, June 20, but were limited due to the challenging conditions. Police stated: “Over the next few days, and as wind conditions allow, aerial surveys of the location and overall area will be conducted.
“Once conditions improve, anticipated by Sunday, a coordinated plan is in place to return to the site with enhanced equipment and support from mutual aid partners to further the search efforts.”
On Sunday, June 22, the police announced they had found the bodies of the three missing hikers.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to their families, friends, and all those affected by this tragic loss,” they expressed.
The individuals have been identified as Matthew Schoenecker from Los Angeles, Matthew Anthony from New York City, and Valentino Creus from Los Angeles.
Juan Heredia, a volunteer diver, aided in locating the hikers’ bodies. He posted a video on Facebook detailing the challenging conditions he and his fellow divers faced in their mission to recover the men from the water.
“3 beautiful souls have been recovered they can now be laid to rest in peace and their families have been given closure and begin their healing process,” he wrote on Sunday.
“The waterfall was brutal. It kept pushing me down… but I wasn’t leaving without bringing those 3 souls home to their families.”
Heredia mentioned that the trek to the water took him and the rescue team over three hours.
He speculated that the bodies might not have surfaced for weeks had they not undertaken the dive to locate them.
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