By The Times-News
TWIN FALLS COUNTY, Idaho — It took an all-out effort Saturday evening to rescue a woman who was injured in the Snake River Canyon and could not hike out on her own.
Multiple first responders helped Colleen Wilkins, 49, who was needing assistance in the canyon north of the Holly Berry Nursery near Murtaugh. The call came in at 6 p.m.
The Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, Rock Creek Fire, Magic Valley Paramedics, Air St.Luke’s, and SORT were at the scene, and due to the challenges of terrain and that daylight was quickly fading, a call went out to off-duty officers from the Twin Falls Fire Department.
An initial rigging system was set up at the top of the canyon where rescuers rappelled into the canyon to where the victim and her husband were located. A secondary team put Wilkins in a basket, attached to the rigging and lifted her out of the canyon near a Air St. Luke’s helicopter. She was transported to St. Luke’s in Twin Falls with lower leg non-life-threatening injuries.
Rescuers climbed out of the canyon and recovered their equipment at about 11 p.m.
While the rescue was happening, some responders were redirected from the incident to Highway 30 at the viaduct near Murtaugh for a crash with injuries involving a vehicle and motorcycle.
The rider of the motorcycle was transported by air ambulance to Pocatello with moderate injuries, and the crash is being investigated by the Idaho State Police.
“Our teams train and work together frequently which provided for a smooth and seamless operation in this rescue,” said a release from the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office.
(c)2023 The Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho)
Visit The Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho) at magicvalley.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.