A 56-year-old man who had been missing in Washington for five days was recovered alive from a ravine, according to authorities.
Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue reported on Tuesday that a man's truck went off a roadway in Cowlitz County on May 17.
On Sunday morning, residents saw tire tracks running away from the road and gazed down the steep ravine, where they saw the vehicle 150 feet below, USA Today reported. They instantly called 911 to get help.
Firefighters struggled through waist-high vegetation in the ravine to retrieve the man. Fearing the worst possible scenario, they were surprised to discover the truck driver alive.
After extricating him from the green truck, rescue specialists set up a rope system to help almost two dozen firemen pull him up the risky ravine.
Longview Fire Department's rope rescue teams and additional fire engines provided extra help in rescuing the man, identified as Danny Sansbury, from the crash site.
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Lt. Andy Worth of Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue underscored the serious consequences of the man's horrific experience, noting that the victim's lack of food and water contributed to his injuries, per WFLA News Channel 8.
An ambulance brought him to a nearby school. Then, the man got airlifted by Life Flight to Peace Health Southwest for urgent medical care. The entire rescue process took an hour, according to reports.
Investigation Ongoing
Sansbury's longtime friend Terri Peck could not believe the victim survived the accident. Peck noted she realized something was wrong when her friend went missing. She suspected he could have fallen in a ravine, per PIX 11.
According to Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Battalion Chief Joe Tone, there were even earlier concerns about a possible crime before the man was recovered.
The man remains in serious condition as investigators investigate the incident.
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