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PREVIOUSLY:

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Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On April 27, 2019, at about 4:40 p.m. the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Emergency Communication Center received a 9-1-1 call for service regarding a male subject swept away in the Trinity River.

According to the reporting party, the 32-year-old male victim decided to go for a swim in the river in the Knight’s Bluff area of Willow Creek, but upon jumping into the water, had not surfaced.

The Sheriff’s Office’s jet boat and a Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department boat were launched near the area in which the man was reported missing. A California Highway Patrol helicopter was also dispatched to aid in the search.

While searching the river, deputies located the victim alive downstream from Knight’s Bluff near the river’s edge at about 6 p.m. Deputies rescued the victim and transported him to the Big Rock area where he received treatment for cold exposure.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department and the California Highway Patrol for their quick response and assistance in this rescue operation.

While the weather is getting warmer throughout Humboldt County, the Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public that it is still too early to swim in some of our local rivers, including the Trinity River, due to high water levels and swift currents. If you do decide to swim in the local rivers this summer, the Sheriff’s Office offers some safety tips:

  • Be sure to check river levels and flow information with the National Weather Service, in addition to water release information for the Trinity River.
  • Never swim alone.
  • Avoid swimming into a fast-moving current. If the current seems too strong, get out of the water.
  • Don’t consume alcohol while swimming.
  • Inflatable water toys should not be used in place of a life jacket. Young children should wear a life jacket when swimming in the river. Watch children at all times.