Challenging conditions force suspension of search for 3 men who jumped into Rattlesnake Falls

By Jonathan Ayestas, Lindsay Weber

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    SODA SPRINGS, California (KCRA) — The search for three men who jumped into the Rattlesnake Falls and did not resurface will be limited Friday due to windy conditions, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies got a call about a possible drowning in the Soda Springs area just before 3 p.m. Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said. When they arrived, they found three other people who were part of the same hiking group.

The sheriff’s office said it learned all six men were hiking when three of them jumped into the water at Rattlesnake Falls and did not resurface.

Because of the rough and steep terrain, the sheriff’s office said a California Highway Patrol helicopter helped evacuate the three other men later that evening. The area is difficult to traverse without aircraft.

A helicopter was used to fly in the dive team to search for the missing men, the sheriff’s office said.

Later that evening, the sheriff’s office said it had to suspend search operations because of poor underwater visibility caused by debris and strong currents. Windy conditions also made it unsafe to fly.

The sheriff’s office said it flew back dive team members back to the command post.

Conditions on Friday will be windier than they were on Thursday. On Friday, the sheriff’s office said it is assessing weather conditions to determine if it can fly crews to the scene.

Previous information from the sheriff’s office stated that the men jumped into Heath Falls, but it has since clarified that they actually jumped into Rattlesnake Falls.

This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 for the latest.

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