A Boy Scout troop from Texas was rescued earlier this month after heavy rain and rising rivers stranded the group in a New Mexico forest for three days.
The rescue happened around 4 p.m. on Oct. 8 near the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, the New Mexico State Police said. In all, 16 children and nine adults were hoisted from the Gila National Forest after the high water trapped at their campsite.
Rescuers dealt with serious weather conditions upon reaching the stranded scouts.
"There was low ceilings, there was strong winds, there was rain, there was thunderstorms in the vicinity, so those are the challenges that we as a pilot have to take into consideration because it can make any mission a high risk mission," Jose Hernandez, the New Mexico National Guard facility supervisor, told KFOX14.
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Helicopters from the state police and New Mexico National Guard lifted all 25 stranded kids and adults to safety over the course of 17 hours, KRQE-TV reported.
The troop was taken to the forest’s visitors center, where they were reunited with their families.
No injuries were reported during the rescue mission.
