Stranded rafters rescued from San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz County

By Carlos E. Castañeda

Two rafters stranded on the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz County were rescued Monday, authorities said.

Cal Fire’s San Mateo-Santa Cruz said on social media that firefighters responded to a report of a man and a woman in distress passing through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, and after an accident on the water, they became stranded on a remote bank with no road or trail access.

The woman, who is in her 50s, suffered an undisclosed injury during the incident, Cal Fire said. The rafters were located after a coordinated search of the upper and lower river banks.

Cal Fire said their rescue involved Felton Fire Protection District firefighters, who hiked through rough terrain to reach the pair, as well as California State Parks rescue swimmers who brought them safely back across the river, where medics provided care. The Santa Cruz County Fire Department also assisted in the rescue, Cal Fire said.

“When the river runs high, the conditions change from a relaxing float to a high-stakes environment,” Cal Fire CZU said in its social media post. “Leave the high-flow navigation to the professionals with the dry suits and specialized training.”