Nov. 30 (UPI) — Two children are dead and one is missing after floodwater swept their vehicle in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest, authorities said Saturday.
A five-year-old boy was found this morning at 8:45 a.m. and a second child, whose age and sex were not revealed, was found at 11:14 a.m., the Arizona Republic reports. The children were in a vehicle that got stuck in flooded Tonto Creek, 60 miles west of the New Mexico border, Friday.
“Multiple rescue teams are on scene, and right now, we’re actively looking for the children,” said Lt. Virgil Dodd, of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office.
Gila County Sheriff’s Office said it received a report Friday afternoon of a recreational vehicle stuck in the creek near the Bar X crossing, which closed earlier that day due to flooding caused by a heavy winter storm.
One adult and four other children were found stranded on an island and rescued via helicopters from the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Gila County Sheriff’s Office said. Another adult was rescued from the shore, but three children remained inside the vehicle.
Officers believe everyone was riding in the cab of the truck when it got stuck.
Officials say the creek was barricaded and a flood warning was in effect.
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