Missing man found ALIVE after spending two days on cliff trapped behind waterfall
A man who was declared missing spent almost two days trapped behind a raging waterfall after a horror rappelling accident, before being dramatically rescued by helicopter.
Ryan Wardwell, 46, from Long Beach in California, had set out on Sunday, August 10, to tackle the infamous Seven Teacups waterfalls in Tulare County, which is a hotspot for daredevil adventurers.
But his descent went badly wrong when powerful water knocked him off his ropes and forced him into a cave-like gap behind the falls. Alone, soaked and with no way out, Ryan survived for nearly 48 hours in the cascade, surrounded by the deafening sound of the water.
Family members raised the alarm after he failed to return to his car on Sunday night, sparking a desperate search by Tulare County Sheriff's deputies, CBS News reports.
Rescuers faced brutal conditions, including steep cliffs, swirling water and fading daylight and were forced to call in specialist teams with drones and infrared aircraft to scour the canyon.
At one point, crews found ropes dangling near a notorious whirlpool known locally as the 'toilet bowl', a spot so dangerous that three people drowned there last year. Fears were mounting.
Then, on Tuesday morning, after an agonisingly long 48 hours, the breakthrough came and Ryan was found alive. A drone sent buzzing behind one of the huge waterfalls picked up movement, and there was Ryan, hidden away.
Within hours, a California Highway Patrol helicopter swooped in. A rescuer was lowered into the spray, clipped him into a harness and hoisted him to safety in a heart-stopping operation.
Ryan escaped with only minor injuries and dehydration. Paramedics treated him on site before reuniting him with his relieved family.
The Seven Teacups, which is part of the Sequoia National Forest, is considered one of the most spectacular but treacherous canyoning routes in the US.
Sheriff Mike Boudreaux warned: 'Given the dangers of this area, we are fortunate this search ended with a rescue and not a recovery.'
Ryan has yet to speak publicly, but friends say he knows he's lucky to be alive after a brush with death in one of California's wildest beauty spots.
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