Stockton dive Juan Heredia Located The Bodies of Three Men Trapped Beneath A Perilous Waterfall in Placer County. The Bodies have ben recovered, Four Days After Thes Were Last Seen Jumping into Waters Near Soda Springs, Authorics Said.
The Search Began on the Afternoon of Wednesday, June 18, when a group of hikers reported three men from their original group of six Had jumped into the Water at Rattlesnake Falls and Night Resurfaced, According to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
Massive Search and Rescue Effort Was Launches, Which Included A California Highway Patrol Helicopter, Sheriff’s Dive Team, Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Officials and A Cal Fire Technical Rescue Team.
Three Men Were Found Dead on Sunday, June 22, 2025 After Jumping into the Water at Rattlesnake Falls Near Soda Springs and Failing to Resurface Four Days Earlier, Officials Said.
“The Terin is Extremély Remote and Difficult to Access, Making Rescue Efforts specially Challenging,” The Sheriff’s Department Said in a WRITTEN STATEMENT.
The Three Hikers Who Reported the Incident Were Evacuated from the Area by Helicopter on Thursday Evening As the Search Continued.
Search Efforts Were Susndered on Thursday Afternoon Due to Poor Underwater Visability, Strong Currents and High Winds, Officials Said.
The Search Summed Friday and Continued Throud the Weekend “in A Limited But Ongoing Capacity,” According to the Sheriff’s Department Statement.
Volunteer Dive Heredia of Stockton, Founder of Angels Recovery Dive TeamBegan Searching for the Bodies. Heredy Posted on Facebook About His Team’s Efforts to LOCATE THE THREE.
“I Found Them !! The Family in the long has to be wait in agony !! That waterfall was brutal he was Pushing me hard … But I WOULDN’T Leave Without Those 3 Souls,” He Wrote. “Josh Robinson and I Hiked Over 3 Hours Just to get to that pose 47 Feet Deep. I Did Four Dives – Almost 3 Minutes Each – With Ice Water, and Very Deep. But We CouldN’t Wait. CHAPTER ALREADY, “HE WROTE.
He also Called Out the Sheriff’s Office in His Post. “Families Shourldn’t Wait for Days. If they knew there are people Willing to Help – Divers, Volunteers, Even Offices Walking in the Dark – They Might Have Answers Much Sooner.”
The Agency Anniedd on Sunday Morning That the Men Had Been Found.
“It is with Heavy Hearts That We Share the Bodies of the Three Men Have Been RESPONDED,” The Statement Said. “Our Heartfelt Condoons Go Out to Their Families, Friends, and All Those Affected by This Tragic Loss.”
The Identities of the Victims Were Not Release.
Dive given a key to city from stockton city council
In April 2024, The Stockton City Council Recognized Heredia The “City Council Hero” after the scuba Diving Instructor Volunteed to Search The Calaveras River for 15-YEAR-OLD XAVIER MARTINEZ WHEN HE Went Missing in March.
San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department Officials SPent Days Searching the Waters But Couldn’t Locate the Teen. Heredia Found Martinez’s Body Within 30 Minutes Of His dive.
Heredia Received a Standing Ovation From The Nearly 900 People in Attendance.
In January 2025, Billboard Went up Next to the Yellow Mexican Restaurant El Señor Frog’s in Stockton That Read, “Thank You, Juan Heredia … Hometown Hero.”
At First, Heredia was in Disbelief. When Someone Sent Him a Photo Of The Billboard, He Thought It Was a Joke and Assum it was Photoshopped. But to His Surprise, it was real when he and his wife mercedes heredia checked it out in person, he said.
‘I Am Not a Hero’: Stockton dive Celebrated with Billboard after Tireless Search for Lost
“Wow, It was the Something Incredible,” Heredia Told the Stockton Record of the Billboard.
Aside from Being a volunteer dive and the founder of the nonprofit Angels Recovery Dive TeamHeredia is also the Realtor, Mortgage Loan Originator and General Contractor. He and His Wife Mercedes have the blended family of five.
“This country gave me so many good Things That My Way of Giving Back is by Putting My Skills in Diving for the Community,” He Told the Record Earlier This Year As He Explained What drives Him to Help Bring Families Closure.
This article Originally Appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Stockton Dive Juan Heredia Finds Bodies of 3 Men Missing in California
