Following days-long search, bodies of three drowning victims found

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office announced Sunday morning that it had recovered the bodies of three men who disappeared Wednesday after jumping into the water at Rattlesnake Falls near Soda Springs and did not resurface.

They were part of a group of six men who had hiked several miles of steep trails to the remote area, according to the sheriff’s office. The Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, Search and Rescue units, Cal Fire’s Technical Rescue Team, and a CHP helicopter were all deployed in an initial search.

The search continued Thursday, when county dive team members were flown into the area by helicopter, but it was called off early due to poor underwater visibility, strong currents and unsafe flying conditions caused by increasing winds. Windy conditions continued to limit the search. Then, Sunday, the office announced it had recovered the bodies. The victims have not yet been identified.

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to their families, friends, and all those affected by this tragic loss,” the office said in a statement on Facebook.