Boy clings to rock in middle of raging Wyoming river as rescuers rush to save him
A boy clung to a rock in the middle of a raging river in Wyoming as rescuers rushed to help him, officials said.
A park visitor alerted park ranger Lonnie Porter that a child fell into the Popo Agie River at Sinks Canyon State Park and was swept away in the rapids, Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites & Trails said in a May 21 news release.
The 11-year-old boy was clinging to the rock when Porter arrived, officials said. The river was running high and was “extremely cold” due to spring runoff.
Porter called for water rescue assistance and EMS and told the boy to stay put, officials said. Another state parks worker helped find equipment and they threw a rope to the boy, who managed to wrap it around his arm.
“Because of the extremely cold water and high stress of the circumstances, the child’s cognitive and physical abilities were rapidly declining,” officials said. “Ranger Porter recognized that these factors were significantly increasing risk to the child and made the decision to immediately execute the rescue.”
The parks workers pulled the boy through the rapids to shore and rushed him to Porter’s patrol truck to wrap him in emergency blankets, officials said. An ambulance arrived and took the boy about 8 miles northeast to Sage West Hospital in Lander to treat his hypothermia.
“Ranger Porter’s quick actions and use of his water rescue training skills helped prevent a loss of life,” Wyoming state parks chief ranger Mark Caughlan said in the release.
This story was originally published May 24, 2024 at 11:18 AM with the headline "Boy clings to rock in middle of raging Wyoming river as rescuers rush to save him."
