A family of five, with two children, were rescued Friday, July 18, after getting stranded while floating on the Sandy River.

At around 10:15 p.m. the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a location on the north bank of the Sandy River after a family had called saying they were stuck. The three adults and two children, ages 9 and 13, had been floating on the river near Dodge Park. They had no water, no warm clothing, and one of the kids was in critical need of medications.

The Clackamas County Water Rescue Team helped locate the family. Using a drone from Corbett Fire, the group was spotted just after 10:30 p.m. near Camp Namanu. They had a small warming fire going on the shore.

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue coordinators led the save. Just before 11 p.m. an air unit from the Portland Police Bureau also spotted the family and their fire. That guided rescuers to their location.

Just before 3:30 a.m. search and rescue volunteers, along with a boat crew from Clackamas Fire, made it to the difficult-to-reach location. They extinguished the fire and helped all five cross the river so they could hike out.

By 5:30 a.m. everyone made it safely out of the woods.