Utah first responders, civilians rescue man clinging to bush in raging floodwaters

Rescuers in Green River, Utah, used an inflatable canoe tied to heavy equipment to reach a man clinging to a bush in swift floodwaters. He was pulled to safety just after a flash flood warning was issued.

Utah rescuers and civilians pulled a man to safety after he was found clinging to a bush surrounded by raging floodwaters in Green River on Saturday afternoon, according to the Emery County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Tyson Huntington said dispatchers received a call just after 4 p.m. reporting a person trapped in a wash on Airport Road. Deputies, Green River Fire Department crews, and city public works staff responded with rope gear and heavy equipment.

While officials prepared a plan, a Green River resident arrived with an inflatable canoe and offered to help. “Rescuers were able to tie off to the front-end loader and send the raft into the swift water to rescue the subject,” Huntington said in a statement.

Deputy Josh Opp and resident Kent Nelson paddled into the current, reached the man, and secured a life jacket before pulling him to safety. He was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City had issued a flash flood warning for Emery County earlier that afternoon, not long before the rescue. Rain totals reached up to 4 inches in parts of the Saleratus Wash, the NWS said.

Huntington praised the teamwork between first responders and locals. “They put themselves in danger to rescue a perfect stranger,” he wrote. “They were all cold and wet, working together to rescue a very scared person that could have been swept away at any second. To all involved, your actions today absolutely saved a life. Bravo!”

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