The bodies of three hikers who went missing in the Sierra Nevada wilderness have been found at Rattlesnake Falls near Soda Springs. The search, initially hindered by bad weather, concluded over the weekend when a nonprofit diver located the men.
Juan Heredia, founder of the Angels Recovery Dive Team, led the mission to recover the bodies. “If I’m going to risk my life, I’d rather risk it for somebody else,” Heredia said. Despite challenging conditions, including freezing water 47 feet deep, Heredia successfully recovered all three men in less than 20 minutes.
The three hikers were part of a group of six who visited the area. On Wednesday, June 18, three men jumped into the North Fork of the American River and did not resurface. Rescue efforts were initially suspended due to poor visibility and strong currents, but Heredia’s determination brought closure to the families, recovering the bodies on Sunday.
“I was estimating that they’re not going to float for another 30 days because it was too deep and was too cold,” Heredia said. His dedication to helping families find closure is what drives his work. “Because of the families, because I think they need the closure, they need to know where their son and daughter are, they need to have their son or daughter back home,” said Heredia.
Heredia has been diving since 1996, but his nonprofit was launched last year. Since its inception, he has recovered 12 bodies, providing much-needed relief to grieving families
