Photo: Kern County Fire Department / Courtesy
The authorities reported that a driver who fell off a 100-foot cliff in a remote area of southern California was rescued over the weekend and spent five days “immobilized” in his wrecked truck.
The rescue took place around 10:58 a.m. local time Saturday in the Tehachapi Mountains of Kern County after a 911 caller reported seeing a vehicle at the bottom of a steep ravine on a two-lane switchback between the cities of Arvin and Stallion Springs.
An incident report from the Kern County Fire Department indicated that when rescuers arrived at the secluded location they found a badly damaged van and an occupant at the bottom of a 100-foot cliff.
“Clearly additional personnel and equipment would be required,” firefighters wrote, noting that the steep and rugged terrain posed a challenge in reaching the injured driver.
A team of more than 20 firefighters, including four engine crews, six fire patrol units and an urban search and rescue team, joined forces to carry out the rescue, authorities said.
Firefighters “built a rope rescue system” to get to the driver, authorities said.
A photo released by the fire department shows more than a dozen firefighters standing shoulder to shoulder on a dirt road over the ravine, grabbing a rope and lowering a rescuer into the crashed vehicle.
“The patient was injured and had been immobilized at the bottom of the ravine since Tuesday, August 29,” according to the incident report.
Using the same rope rescue system, three more rescuers rappelled down the ravine, secured the driver in a basket and pulled the person to safety, authorities said.
The driver, whose name and gender were not released, He was airlifted to an area hospital and was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.authorities said.
The cause of the accident was under investigation on Sunday.
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