A man was safely rescued by helicopter from the roof of his overturned truck after raging floodwater swept the vehicle away in Tonopah, Arizona. The dramatic incident unfolded as fast-moving water completely surrounded the truck, creating an increasingly perilous situation that required an urgent aerial response from emergency authorities.
In the early hours of September 29, a rescue helicopter and aviation unit from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office responded to a distress report concerning a man sitting on top of his vehicle in a wash located at 327th Avenue. Social media videos shared by the sheriff’s office captured the man sitting on his overturned truck as swirling floodwaters continued to batter the area.
Helicopter Hoist Operation
Emergency responders determined that a hoist rescue represented the safest method to extract the stranded individual. During the operation, the helicopter lowered a rescue specialist directly onto the truck. The specialist successfully secured the man to a rescue device, lifting him clear of the hazard and transporting him to a nearby riverbank.
Pilot Rich Dickner, who flew the rescue aircraft, recounted the tense scene to CBS News, explaining that the vehicle had flipped onto its side and the man was straddling it. Dickner noted that the rescue team moved quickly because the water level had rapidly escalated from below the truck window to the top of the window. According to the Arizona Fire & Medical Authority, the stranded individual was approximately 30 feet from the shoreline when help arrived.
Pilot Recalls Identical Past Rescues in Same Locations
Reflecting on the dangerous rescue, pilot Dickner observed that similar emergency situations had occurred in the exact same locations during his tenure with the unit. He also noted that the stranded driver may have crossed that specific road many times before the flash flooding struck. Separately, Alex DeFalco captured a different rescue involving a man and a woman in Arizona after discovering a separate truck submerged in water and calling for assistance.
