Three hikers found dead after jumping into waterfall at tourist hotspot as police release tragic details
Police have issued a sad update following a search for three missing hikers.
Three men set off on a hike on Wednesday (June 18) when police received reports of them entering the water in the Soda Springs area.
They had jumped into Rattlesnake Falls, California, and failed to resurface after doing so.
The three hikers were said to be part of a larger group, with the remaining members of the party having to be rescued via helicopter on June 19 due to the remote area they were in, USA Today reports.
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In a statement shared on the Wednesday, Placer County Sherriff's Office said: "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."
They went on: "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."
Law enforcement have since issued a handful of updates since. On the Thursday (June 19), they said that their ongoing search had to be postponed due to poor weather conditions.
The search resumed on Friday (June 20) 'in a limited but ongoing capacity' because of the bad conditions. Police added: "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."
It was on Sunday (June 22) that police confirmed they'd recovered 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 wrote.
The deceased have since been identified as Matthew Schoenecker of Los Angeles, Matthew Anthony of New York City, and Valentino Creus of Los Angeles.
Juan Heredia was one of the volunteer divers to help locate the hikers' bodies. He shared a video to Facebook of the tough conditions he and the other divers were battling against in a bid 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 went on to share that it took him and the rest of the rescue team over three hours to hike to the body of water in question.
He predicted the bodies wouldn't have resurfaced 'for weeks' had they not dived to find them.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].
Topics: California, News, US News
Niamh Shackleton