Dramatic footage captures the moment an Arizona sheriff’s helicopter team rescued a man stranded on an overturned truck as swift-moving floodwater closed in around him.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said its Fox 1 aviation unit was called Tuesday morning to a flooded wash near Tonopah. Deputies arriving at the scene found the man atop the overturned vehicle, surrounded by rushing water.
Video released by the sheriff’s office shows the man sitting on the truck while muddy floodwaters stream rapidly past the vehicle.
With conditions considered too hazardous for rescuers to approach from the ground, first responders opted for a helicopter hoist rescue.
The footage shows a Fox 1 crew member descending from the helicopter and attaching the man to a rescue harness. The two were then lifted away from the overturned truck and carried to safety.
According to the sheriff’s office, the man was flown to the riverbank, where firefighters and other emergency personnel were waiting.
Helicopter pilot Rich Dickner told CBS News that the floodwater was rising rapidly around the truck as the crew worked to reach the stranded man.
“We didn’t waste much time,” Dickner said.
He explained that the water level had initially remained below the truck’s window, but had risen to the top of it by the time the rescue unfolded. “So there was that urgency,” Dickner said.
People Magazine reported that Deputy Lindsey Smith was lowered roughly 80 feet from the helicopter to the overturned truck.
The deputy reportedly had difficulty finding her footing at first, but eventually secured herself to the vehicle and reached the man.
Authorities said the entire operation was completed in under five minutes.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office praised the aviation team’s rapid and precise response, which helped bring the man to safety.
“Thanks to the skill and quick response of our Aviation crew, the subject was safely brought to shore,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Excellent work, Fox 1!”
The Weather Channel reported that rainfall linked to the remnants of Hurricane Polo produced historic totals in parts of the Desert Southwest and fueled dangerous flash flooding.
The Flood Control District of Maricopa County urged motorists to avoid driving through flooded roads and washes.
“Remember: Conditions can change fast. If you encounter a flooded roadway, Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”
Fox News Digital has contacted the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office seeking additional information.
