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Innertubing family rescued by helicopter from Russian River

A Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office helicopter rescued a Fremont family when their inner tubes got stuck on bushes in the middle of the Russian River Tuesday.

Sonoma County Sheriff's Offic A helicopter crew rescues members of a Fremont family stranded on the Russian River on Tuesday, April 25, 2019.

The four family members were stranded on the bushes for about two hours. Sheriff’s deputies responded around 5:40 p.m., sheriff’s Sgt. Spencer Crum said.

A good Samaritan tried to help the family with a rope but he also got stuck in the rushing current, Crum said.

The helicopter crew fastened a 100-foot rope to the bottom of the helicopter and a deputy hastened himself to the bottom of the rope, according to Crum.

The five stranded people were lifted out of the river with a horse collar device one by one and taken to shore, Crum said. No one was injured. The cold river water is moving swiftly this spring, and people boating or floating should be extra cautious, Crum said.

Last modified April 25, 2019 9:31 am

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