Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopters carried out an urgent rescue Friday in Reynolds County, Missouri, airlifting 202 campers and staff after fast-moving floodwaters trapped them at Camp Taum Sauk along the Black River in the Missouri Ozarks.
Footage shared by the Missouri State Highway Patrol showed the tense evacuation, with children hurrying toward the helicopters as crews prepared to lift them to safety.
Authorities said the campers, who ranged in age from 8 to 16, along with their counselors, were safely evacuated and transported to St. Louis, where they were reunited with their families.
Video showed a dramatic Black Hawk rescue during severe flooding in Missouri. (Sgt. Eddie Young/Missouri State Highway Patrol)
“We are beyond thankful for your help keeping our camp community safe,” Camp Taum Sauk officials wrote in an Instagram post Saturday morning, thanking the National Guard, Reynolds County 911 emergency responders and the nearby Arcadia community.
Located in Lesterville, about 125 miles south of St. Louis, the long-running coed camp has welcomed young people since 1946.
The Missouri evacuation comes a little more than a year after catastrophic flooding on the Guadalupe River in Texas Hill Country on July 4, 2025, killed at least 135 people, including 28 at the all-girls Camp Mystic.
Belongings are seen scattered inside a cabin at Camp Mystic following deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas, on July 5, 2025. (Reuters/Sergio Flores, File)
Nearby, operators of the Bearcat Getaway campground closed their property for the weekend and confirmed on Facebook Friday afternoon that all campers and staff were safe and accounted for.
The dramatic aerial rescue at Camp Taum Sauk was part of a large, coordinated emergency response across Missouri after a relentless storm system dumped 6 to 12 inches of rain on central, south-central and southeastern parts of the state.
The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency shared photos of devastating flooding Saturday. (Missouri State Emergency Management Agency via Facebook)
Following an executive order by Gov. Mike Kehoe declaring a state of emergency, local emergency personnel performed at least 351 swift-water rescues across the region.
“Missouri’s first responders once again answered the call with extraordinary bravery, professionalism, and compassion,” Kehoe wrote in a statement on Facebook.
State officials are urging vigilance as the National Weather Service warned the already saturated soils could see an additional 2 to 4 inches of rainfall through the weekend.
