Fact Check: Three hikers airlifted from dangerous terrain after waterfall incident
What We Know
On June 18, 2025, three hikers jumped into the water at Rattlesnake Falls in Soda Springs, California, but did not resurface. The remaining three members of their group contacted authorities using a satellite phone after the men failed to reappear. The Placer County Sheriff's Office described the area as having "challenging terrain" and noted that it is located several miles in on a steep and difficult hiking trail, about 30 miles from Lake Tahoe (New York Times).
Rescue efforts involved multiple agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, which used a helicopter to evacuate the three surviving hikers on the evening of the incident (Fox News). The search for the missing hikers was complicated by poor weather conditions, including strong currents and debris, which limited visibility underwater. After several days of searching, the bodies of the three men were recovered on June 23, 2025 (San Francisco Chronicle).
Analysis
The claim that "three hikers were airlifted from dangerous terrain" is partially accurate. While it is true that a helicopter was used to evacuate the three surviving hikers, the term "airlifted" may imply an emergency extraction from immediate danger, which was not the case. The surviving hikers were evacuated after the incident, but they were not in immediate peril at the time of the helicopter's arrival (New York Times, Fox News).
The Placer County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the terrain was indeed dangerous and difficult to navigate, which supports the claim of "dangerous terrain." However, the focus of the rescue was on locating the missing hikers rather than extracting the survivors from an active emergency situation (Fox News, San Francisco Chronicle).
The sources used in this analysis are credible, with the New York Times and Fox News being established news organizations that report on such incidents. The San Francisco Chronicle also provides local coverage and context, enhancing the reliability of the information presented.
Conclusion
The verdict is Partially True. While the claim accurately reflects that a helicopter was involved in the rescue operation and that the terrain was dangerous, it misrepresents the urgency of the evacuation of the surviving hikers, who were not in immediate danger at the time of their airlift.
