3 missing, river search underway near American River waterfall in Northern California
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- Placer County officials launched a search for three missing in American River.
- Rescue teams deployed include dive units, Cal Fire and a CHP helicopter.
- Remote terrain near Heath Falls complicates ongoing search and recovery.
Authorities on Wednesday afternoon in Placer County were searching for three people who entered the water on the North Fork of the American River and did not resurface.
The search was underway in the area near Rattlesnake Falls along the American River a few miles south of Soda Springs, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office announced in social media posts.
Sheriff’s officials were called to the area shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday for a report of three people who went into the water and did not resurface.
The Sheriff’s Office’s dive team and search and rescue units, as well as Cal Fire’s Technical Rescue Team and California Highway Patrol helicopter have been deployed to join the search, according to the social media post.
Sheriff’s officials said the terrain is extremely remote and difficult to access, which makes rescue efforts challenging.
This story was originally published June 18, 2025 at 6:19 PM.
CORRECTION: Due to incorrect information provided to The Bee, this story has been updated to reflect the location of the incident.
