Guard Helicopter Rescues Family Trapped in Flipped RV

A Colorado National Guard Blackhawk helicopter hovered above a river that no longer looked like a river. Below, an RV lay on its side, pinned by brush and branches while brown water churned around it. Inside that trapped vehicle sat two people, three dogs, and two cats. A Guardsman dropped from the aircraft to hoist them out, a maneuver captured in video posted by the state National Guard.

The rescue occurred in southwestern Colorado after floodwaters overwhelmed homes and infrastructure across multiple counties. The Rio Grande County Sheriff’s Office reported late Saturday night that 80 to 100 homes had been evacuated. As of that update, officials reported no known injuries or deaths, though a mandatory evacuation order remained in place before 11 p.m. Saturday along the Rio Grande River.

The evacuation zone stretched from the Wolf Creek Tunnel and Fun Valley to County Road 20, and from the confluence of the River Green subdivision to the Shaw Creek Rest Area. Specific instructions varied by neighborhood. Residents in Beaver Mountain Estates were told to shelter in place or evacuate via Skyline Drive North, past the forest gate, until reaching Park Drive and following downhill past South Fork Fire Rescue on Mall Street. Those in Riverbend were instructed to shelter in place or evacuate, with a warning that leaving the area would cut off access beyond the highway closure.

The scale of the flooding was visible in footage from the rescue operation. The camera zoomed out to reveal surrounding homes submerged in water, blurring the line between backyards and the river channel. The devastation was not limited to a single point; it stretched across the region.

Governor Jared Polis issued an emergency declaration late Thursday night, a move that allowed for the deployment of the National Guard and gave the region access to other state resources. The Guard was deployed specifically to assist with recovery and search and rescue efforts.

The water levels tell part of the story. The San Juan River in Pagosa Springs rose to 15 feet Thursday night. More rain hit the area Saturday, worsening conditions for Pagosa Springs and several other counties in the southwestern corner of the state, including Durango. By 9:30 p.m. Saturday, the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office noted that continued rainfall was affecting rescue and response efforts. The office urged the public to prioritize personal safety and avoid unnecessary travel to allow emergency responders to continue their work.

For those who could not evacuate, resources were available at specific locations. Drinking water was distributed at the South Fork Community Building. A Red Cross shelter operated out of the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association Clubhouse, located at 230 Port Avenue.

The video of the RV rescue offers a stark look at the force of the water. The vehicle was not merely wet; it was inverted, held in place only by debris. The Guardsman’s descent and the subsequent hoisting of the occupants, pets included, highlighted the precariousness of the situation. The surrounding landscape, submerged and unrecognizable, underscored that this was not a localized blip but a regional event driven by sustained rainfall and rising river levels.