KERN COUNTY, CA – A motorist in Southern California, who had been trapped in a wrecked pickup truck for five days, was rescued on Saturday. The vehicle had plummeted 100 feet into a ravine, leaving the driver immobilized and unable to escape. The incident occurred on a secluded, winding road between Arvin and Stallion Springs, according to the Kern County Fire Department.
The rescue operation was initiated just before 11 a.m. after a passerby noticed the damaged vehicle at the bottom of a steep hill. A firefighter was lowered into the ravine and discovered the injured driver near Sheep’s Trail in the Tehachapi Mountains. The authorities concluded that the driver had been stranded in the truck since the accident on August 29.
The rescue effort was a collaborative endeavor involving 21 rescuers, including four engine crews, six fire patrol units, and an urban search and rescue team. Photos from the scene depicted the fire personnel standing in a line along the dirt road, holding onto a rope that was used to guide the rescuers down the treacherous terrain.
The rescuers constructed a rope system to lower additional firefighters to the wrecked pickup. Using this system, three more firefighters descended the rugged terrain and secured the individual in a rescue basket. The injured driver was then hoisted to safety.
The identity of the motorist has not been disclosed. After being extracted from the ravine, the driver was airlifted to a hospital. The current condition of the driver remains unknown. The California Highway Patrol and the Stallion Springs Police Department provided assistance during the rescue operation.
As of Tuesday morning, the cause of the crash is still under investigation.