Man dies after being trapped under swift, cold water at Angel Falls near Bass Lake
A man died after he was trapped in icy water underneath Angel Falls near Bass Lake, despite more than an hour’s worth of efforts Sunday by the Madera County Sheriff’s search and rescue team.
The man’s name was not available.
It is the second time in two weeks that someone has needed rescuing from the swift moving water. Last Saturday, off-duty California Highway Patrol officer Brent Donley saved a man from drowning by throwing a rope and pulling him to safety.
On Sunday, deputies arrived shortly after noon after a 911 call of a man who had fallen into the water, said Sarah Jackson, Madera County Sheriff’s public-information officer.
Deputies found the man submerged under rocks in rapidly moving water. The water is about 15 feet deep in parts and about 20 feet wide, Jackson said.
“And it was in the same place that another person got trapped last week,” she said.
Deputies were able to get to the victim about 1:30 p.m., Jackson said. They performed CPR and other life-saving measures, but the man had died.
While saying she understands the public’s need for recreation, Jackson said people need to be extremely cautious this time of year as the Sierra snowpack begins to melt. The water is near freezing and running fast.
“And the water is swifter and stronger than you know,” she said, “and it can overtake you.”
This story was originally published May 17, 2020 at 3:42 PM.
