Man Drowns In American River Amid Push To Highlight Water Dangers
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A frantic fight to save a friend from drowning on the American River ended in tragedy Sunday.
It happened so fast; his friends couldn't help.
Rescuers say the victim was already pretty deep in the water when they arrived. He was taken to the hospital, but pronounced dead hours later.
"He just panicked. And then we launched a mass search. We just got everyone we could, just keep an eye out for him," said friend Kyle Pierce.
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Pierce says their group was all together when suddenly the rafting trip took a terrible turn – his friend fell off and into the current.
"I think he was in the water for 40 minutes before we found him," Pierce said.
A Sacramento Metro Fire helicopter spotted the man and hovered overhead until divers arrived. The victim was already eight feet under water.
It marks the eighth drowning in the American River this year alone.
That doesn't include the close calls, like the experience one man CBS13 previously interviewed lived to tell about.
"I couldn't say anything," Michael said. "I tried to say help. It was, like, help 'cause I was like so weak from fighting the current."
Rescuers have recently beefed up training and warning messages all along the river. Just two weeks ago, CBS13 saw up-close their life-saving techniques near Discovery Park where there have been four drownings since the end of June.
So why isn't the message resonating? Rescuers say some things are out of their control.
"I think folks tend to have a 'it's not going to happen to me' [mindset],'"said Metro Fire Battalion Chief Chris Quinn. "Assume a worst-case scenario, you don't need to dwell on it."
The main point, he says: If you can't see the bottom, be extra cautious.
"No, we had flotations. But no, we were not wearing them," Pierce said.
Police are waiting to release the victim's name until all family members are notified.
