10 hours ago
Bodies recovered of 3 hikers who went missing in water near Rattlesnake Falls
Authorities have now identified the three people who went missing in the water near Rattlesnake Falls in Soda Springs.
The Placer County Sheriff's Office said a group of six men was hiking in the area. One of the people in the group called 911 shortly before 3 p.m. to report that three others went into the water and never resurfaced.
A California Highway Patrol helicopter and other resources, including sheriff's office dive and search teams, were deployed to the remote area to assist with the search.
Initially, the sheriff's office said the search was happening in the area near Heath Falls. Deputies later said the men were believed to have jumped into the water at Rattlesnake Falls.
Thursday, the sheriff's office stated that a dive team was flown to the area to help with search efforts.
The search operations were suspended on Thursday due to poor underwater visibility caused by debris and strong currents, the sheriff's office said. Increasing winds also made it unsafe to fly in.
On Friday, deputies said the search will be in a limited but continuous fashion. The bodies of the three hikers were found on Sunday, the Sheriff's Office said.
According to the Placer County Sheriff's Office, the three people whose bodies have been recovered have been identified as 59-year-old Los Angeles resident Valentino Creus, 50-year-old Los Angeles resident Matthew Schoenecker, and 44-year-old New York City resident Matthew Anthony.
The sheriff's office noted that the location is remote and takes about a three-hour hike to reach.
