Helicopter rescues 4 people stranded atop vehicle in raging Arizona creek as severe storms slam Southwest

RIMROCK, AZ. – 4 people were rescued by helicopter in Rimrock, Arizona, after repeated rounds of heavy rain from severe thunderstorms caused Wet Beaver Creek in Yavapai County to rise nearly 4 feet Thursday.

Strong, fast-moving currents swept a white SUV downstream, forcing four passengers onto its roof before they were rescued by an Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue Unit helicopter.

Viral video captured the tense rescue as raging floodwaters surged below while a rescuer was lowered from a helicopter to retrieve one of the four stranded people.

The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded around 3:15 p.m. on Oct. 22, to reports of people stranded in a rapidly rising riverbed near East Dragonshead Road and Culpepper Ranch Road.

SEE IT: UTAH CITY FORCED TO EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY AS DANGEROUS FLASH FLOODING INUNDATES THE REGION

Deputies arrived at the Wet Beaver Creek crossing and determined that extremely strong currents had carried the vehicle downstream.

The National Weather Service said repeated heavy rainfall from thunderstorms caused Wet Beaver Creek to rise nearly 4 feet, triggering life-threatening flash flooding in Yavapai County, Arizona.

AMERICA ADDS ITS FIRST NATIONAL PARK IN NEARLY A DECADE

After searching the hazardous, heavily flooded area on foot, deputies located the vehicle about 150 feet downstream with all four occupants stranded on its roof.

Deputies obtained the vehicle’s exact GPS coordinates and relayed the location to a DPS Ranger helicopter. 

Guided by the coordinates, the helicopter crew conducted an aerial extraction and safely rescued all four people.