KERN COUNTY, CA – In a daring rescue operation, a driver who had been trapped in a crashed pickup truck for five days was saved on Saturday. The vehicle had taken a 100-foot plunge into a ravine in Southern California, leaving the driver incapacitated and unable to free themselves. The incident took place on an isolated, twisting road nestled between the towns of Arvin and Stallion Springs, as per the Kern County Fire Department.
The rescue mission was launched shortly before 11 a.m. when a bystander reported seeing the wrecked vehicle at the base of a steep incline. A firefighter was dispatched into the ravine and located the injured driver near Sheep’s Trail in the Tehachapi Mountains. After assessing the situation, it was determined that the driver had been trapped in the truck since a crash on August 29.
The rescue was a joint effort involving a team of 21, including four engine crews, six fire patrol units, and an urban search and rescue team. Images from the scene showed the team of firefighters lined up along the dirt road, gripping a rope that was instrumental in guiding the rescuers down the challenging terrain.
The team devised a rope system to safely lower more firefighters to the crashed pickup. With the help of this system, three additional firefighters were lowered down the rugged landscape and placed the individual in a rescue basket. The injured driver was then carefully lifted to safety.
The identity of the driver has been kept confidential. Following the rescue, the driver was airlifted to a hospital. The driver’s current health status is not known. The California Highway Patrol and the Stallion Springs Police Department were also present at the scene to assist with the rescue operation.
As of Tuesday morning, the investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.