Car in the Water at Mad River Beach; Rescue Swimmers Responding

Photo: Amy Collenberg.

UPDATE, 6:16 p.m.: Rescuers have determined that the vehicle is unoccupied. They’re going to be looking around in the area just to make sure that no one was ejected from the vehicle and injured as it went into the river. Otherwise, they’ll tow in out and haul it away.

The Coast Guard, Calfire, Arcata Fire, Humboldt Bay Fire and the California Highway Patrol have all been at the scene at one point or another. Numerous surrounding fire departments are providing fire service coverage while engines attend to this incident.

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UPDATE, 6:05 p.m.: Just to be clear: Emergency personnel on scene do not yet know if anyone is in the vehicle. The rescue swimmers are needed to ascertain whether or not anyone is in the vehicle.

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UPDATE, 6 p.m.: A Coast Guard helo passing overhead is trying to get a rescue swimmer lowered down to the scene.

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UPDATE, 5:46 p.m.: Rescue units were briefly canceled on report that the incident was “not as reported,” but the stand-down order was quickly reversed. A full rescue operation is underway.

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A car is in the water at the public boat ramp at Mad River Beach. As noted below, a vehicle was spotted in the river, on its hood with only tires visible, at 5:30 p.m.

According to scanner traffic, rescue swimmers are being summoned to the scene.

Follow updates from the CHP below.


5:29 p.m.
[2] NEAR BOAT RAMP
5:29 p.m.
[4] ONLY TIRES ARE VISIBLE
5:29 p.m.
[1] VEH IN RIVER ON HOOD
5:30 p.m.
[6] OIL COMING OO VEH
5:31 p.m.
[8] PER UNIT ROLL FIRE
5:31 p.m.
[7] 1039 CF
5:31 p.m.
Unit Assigned
5:31 p.m.
Unit Enroute
5:37 p.m.
Unit Enroute
5:37 p.m.
Unit Assigned
5:42 p.m.
Unit At Scene
5:42 p.m.
[10] A16-019 UNIT AT THE BOAT RAMP
5:45 p.m.
[13] THERE IS A BOATER HERE THAT WAS HERE FOR 1/2 HR / THERE WAS A VEH LOADING KAYAK / NOT AS RPTED
5:45 p.m.
Unit Cleared
5:48 p.m.
[15] PER CF 1097 VEH IN WATER SUBMERGED UNKN IF OCCUP
5:48 p.m.
Unit Assigned
5:48 p.m.
Unit Enroute
5:48 p.m.
Unit At Scene
5:49 p.m.
[16] ROLL 1185 EXP
5:50 p.m.
[19] LATE ENTRY / ROLL WRECKER EXP // J/M ADVSD
5:50 p.m.
[18] [Rotation Request Comment] 1039 J/M TOW 707-822-5400
5:53 p.m.
Unit At Scene
5:59 p.m.
[22] ETA FOR 1185
5:59 p.m.
[21] 1039 OFC
5:59 p.m.
[23] PER 1185 APPROX 3 MINS OUT BEHIND CDF
6:01 p.m.
Unit Assigned
6:01 p.m.
Unit Enroute
6:01 p.m.
[24] 1185 1097 // COASTGUARD HELO OVERHEAD
6:07 p.m.
Unit Cleared
6:07 p.m.
Unit Assigned
6:07 p.m.
Unit Enroute
6:15 p.m.
Unit At Scene
6:18 p.m.
Unit At Scene
6:44 p.m.
Unit Cleared
6:46 p.m.
Unit Cleared
6:46 p.m.
[35] [Notification] [CHP]-1039 EPD HAVE PENDING 10851 REPORT ON VEH , WILL 1039 W/ CASE NUMBER
6:49 p.m.
Unit Cleared
6:50 p.m.
[37] [Notification] [CHP]-Problem changed from 1183-Trfc Collision-Unkn Inj to 20002-Hit and Run No Injuries by CHP
6:50 p.m.
Unit Cleared

See: Common CHP Codes and Shorthand

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