NTD– A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew braved poor visibility and frigid rapids to reach a car partly submerged in water near the brink of Niagara Falls, then lowered a rescue swimmer on a hoist who pulled out the woman trapped inside.
She did not survive.
Video from the harrowing rescue attempt showed Petty Officer 2nd Class Derrian Duryea, in an orange suit and with an axe in his left hand, buffeted by winds and spraying water as he was lowered 80 feet (24 meters) to the car through falling snow. After slowly spinning and swinging past the car, he was able to grab hold on the passenger side and open the door. more
A few years ago I was visiting the park about 100 yards upstream from the falls. The wind blew my baseball cap into the water. I rushed to try to grab it from the shore but then sanity kicked in and I realized a $10 baseball cap was not worth risking my life. I stood on the shore and watched it go over the falls.
The “She did not survive” part always sucks.
Rule Number 1: You can’t save everybody.
When I was a kid, maybe 10, my family went to Yosemite. My dad asked a coworker about good activities, one he mentioned was a natural slide going into the river above Vernal Falls. So we brought bathing suits with us. The slide enters the river – the fast-flowing river because the falls are pretty spectacular – maybe 150 yard above the falls. Nope, maybe adults can make those choices but looked a bit dicey.
And there have been quite a few deaths going over Vernal Falls. Actually the trail going up is pretty scary, particularly since it is wet rock from the mist.
Glad those brave men got the woman out even if she had passed. I’m sure her family was grateful.
Not me
DECEMBER 11, 2021 AT 12:36 PM
“Glad those brave men got the woman out even if she had passed. I’m sure her family was grateful.”
You think THAT’S something, sooner or later, they have to get the CAR out, too..
What an incredible display of courage, strength and skill, not to mention God’s hand interceding in the whole rescue. It’s a shame that the woman did not survive, but the Coast Guard rescue team did an awesome job. I wonder why they didn’t release the video.
stirrin the FJB Pot
DECEMBER 11, 2021 AT 12:42 PM
“It’s a shame that the woman did not survive, but the Coast Guard rescue team did an awesome job.”
I remember my first house fire with entrapment. I was a proby then so I didn’t pull the guy out, but I will remember to the day I die hearing that, despite the array of trucks, ambulances, massive numbers of people, and even a helicopter complete with flight surgeon, and despite the massive amount of effort and people fighting for his life, the guy did not survive. I remember the frustration and the sense of loss for someone I didn’t know existed five minutes ago, and having the lesson above hammered home for the very first time in my life in an undeniable “Why, God?” moment.
You can’t save everybody.
You do get to accept it, eventually.
But it still rips a little more out of your soul every time.
“I wonder why they didn’t release the video.”
That’s easy. Sensitivity for the family. Most people don’t want to see their loved one die, especially not in real time, let alone share it with the world. Even seeing the recognizable car would be pretty horrible, for most…
How do Coast. Guard swimmers stay above water when they are weighted down by steel balls?
Let’s start a reverse thumbs up campaign for Henry “Bot” Mikel and all of his fellow Bot-nicks. When you give ’em a TU, you’re really giving them a TD. I suspect they would be the TU(D) leader in every thread in which they post.
—————-
I’ll get rid of it in a minute. Thumb up or not, it’s spam. – Claudia
stFJBp: As if he would come back to look. 😉
Those CG swimmers and rescue pilots are total badasses.
Stories like this make me think of my dad who served in the USCG from ’43-45′.
Too bad she didn’t make it, and the current there is wicked.