Update 1:00pm | Photos courtesy Long Beach Fire Department blog.
10:00am | A woman in her early 20’s remains in critical condition after she was pulled from her car when it drove off the Shoemaker Bridge – connecting the 710 Freeway to downtown Long Beach – and plunged 20-30 feet into the Los Angeles River, according to reports from the Long Beach Fire Department. Officials are working to determine the cause of the crash and that lane of the bridge will be closed until the investigation is completed.
The woman’s SUV crashed through the guardrail around 7:30am this morning and sunk about 15 feet below the water when dive teams reached her. Fire Department spokesperson Jackawa Jackson said that she may have been submerged for up to 45 minutes before she was reached, but was pulled from the car in critical condition. “In situations like this, there is a much better chance of survival if the water is cold, and today that water is very cold,” said Jackson.
The low water temperature helped the victim, according to Jackson, because her bodily functions slowed down and kept her alive until rescuers arrived. The extent of her injuries are currently unknown.
Firefighters initially believed the woman was with two other people but are now saying that she was alone. Dive teams have thoroughly searched the submerged vehicle and downstream areas for additional victims, but strong currents and heavy silt are making for difficult searching conditions.
The woman has been transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center.
More to come…
