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VIDEO: Canoeing accident in northern New Mexico leads to dramatic rescue operation
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A newly released video from New Mexico Game and Fish shows a dramatic rescue in northern New Mexico.
On May 16, three men from Louisiana flipped their canoes on the Canadian River, more than five miles south of Taylor Springs near Springer. A New Mexico Game and Fish officer was first to the scene. The officer found the three men on the river's edge injured. One had serious injuries, which included six broken ribs and a punctured lung.
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News: VIDEO: Canoeing accident in northern NM leads to dramatic rescue operation
Canoer: What I believe, sir, he got pinned in that boat, across his chest for a few minutes until I could get to him and drag him out… he was unconscious, kind of snoring when I got him to the edge.'
It was almost two hours before rescue crews could get to the men to check their injuries. They had to navigate a dangerous 250-foot drop into the remote canyon.
Canoer: You uh…. is there any kind of landing zone possible? NM Game and Fish Officer: Man, we're trying to figure it out. You guys picked a crazy place, but we'll get it situated.'
While crews got the men off the river's edge, getting them out of the canyon would take the National Guard. It would take roughly five hours for the group to be extracted. The man with the most severe injuries was flown by helicopter to receive treatment at the University of New Mexico Hospital.
The family of the man who was airlifted says he's recovering from his injuries. Crews helped a second injured canoeer get out of the canyon with a broken leg. The third ended up walking out of the canyon on his own.
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