A 20-year-old woman miraculously survived after being sucked underwater while attempting to cycle across a flooded bridge in Arizona's Sabino Canyon. The incident, which occurred on Thursday, also saw a woman who jumped in to rescue the cyclist swept away by the powerful current.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office responded to the water rescue after the cyclist attempted to cross a bridge as floodwaters surged. Rushing water swept the woman and her bike underneath the bridge, where she became trapped in a hole before being submerged. Eyewitness video captured the moments the cyclist struggled before disappearing beneath the churning water.
According to authorities, a woman who rushed to help the cyclist was also caught in the powerful current and swept downstream approximately 100 feet. Good Samaritans eventually managed to pull both victims from the water.
The 20-year-old cyclist was reportedly unresponsive and required CPR after her rescue before regaining consciousness. The Sheriff's Office stated that deputies assisted in removing the subject from the drainage. Two individuals, including the cyclist and the rescuer, were transported to a local hospital and reported to be in stable condition.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos emphasized the extreme danger of the situation, noting how powerful the water was and that the outcome could have been far worse had the tunnel been clogged or the cyclist sustained a head injury. He issued a stern warning to the public: "Never attempt to cross flooded washes, whether on a bike, in a vehicle, or on foot." The Sheriff's Office reiterated that fast-moving water is extremely dangerous and puts both the public and first responders at risk.
The area where the flooding occurred is northeast of Tucson, which has been experiencing monsoon storms.