Boy Scouts from Texas trapped for 2 nights as floodwaters rise in New Mexico forest
Rescuers airlifted a Boy Scout troop to safety after rising waters stranded them in a forest, New Mexico officials said.
A Boy Scout troop from El Paso, Texas, set off for a camping trip in the wilderness area of Gila National Forest on Oct. 1 and was set to return one week later, the New Mexico State Police said in a news release on Oct. 15.
Heavy rains and rising rivers trapped the troop of 16 kids and nine adults in the forest on Oct. 7, police said. The troop was stranded 3 miles upstream Gila River, on a route that required 15 crossings to get back to the visitors center, the Silver City Daily Press reported.
The group tried to cross the river with a human chain, the outlet reported. But the current swept two people downstream, volunteer rescuers told the Grant County Beat. Everyone made it to shore, but the group did not attempt to cross again, remaining split on both sides of the river, the outlet reported.
When the troop did not show up on time and no one had communication with them, people became worried, Silver City Daily Press reported. Police received a call about the troop around 4 p.m. on Oct. 8, but bad weather prevented them from immediately attempting to rescue the group.
Helicopters flew in to locate and rescue the group on Oct. 9, officials said. With nowhere to land, the helicopters hovered overhead, sending crews with a harness down to hoist the group back up, KRQE reported and video footage shows. The operation took 17 hours, the outlet reported.
“Kids were jumping up and down; high fives hugs for everyone. You know, they were extremely excited that we had found them, and we’re starting to pull them,” the hoist operator told KRQE.
The troop, along with two other female hikers, were taken to the visitors center and reunited with family, police said. No injuries were reported.
Neither Boy Scouts of America nor the Yucca Council Boy Scouts of America responded to McClatchy News’ request for comment.
Gila National Forest is about 220 miles southwest of Albuquerque.
This story was originally published October 17, 2022 at 9:59 AM with the headline "Boy Scouts from Texas trapped for 2 nights as floodwaters rise in New Mexico forest."
