Man Rescued From Quicksand in Utah
A man who had to be rescued from quicksand in Utah has been released from hospital.
Robert Tesar, 25, enrolled in the National Outdoor Leadership School’s wilderness survival course in Wayne County with a group of college students. They were on a 25-day survival expedition and the group had been hiking in the location for 23 days and crossed the river several times without incident before Tesar became trapped in quicksand.
He was stuck up to his mid-thighs with quicksand and the river water reached up to his waist.
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Chopper medic Matias Quintanilla said: "He was pretty much unable to move at all. He was pretty cold, so we were trying to get warmed up with heat packs."
Rescue crew dug Tesar out using shovels.
"The group was just about finished and they were crossing the river to get to the other bank. He thought the sandbar would be a good route, but he sunk right to his waist," Quintanilla said. "He was about 15 feet off the bank of the river on a sandbar that … sucked him right in."
Tesar was stuck for 13 hours before he was rescued.
According to Quintanilla, the muddy substance contained heavy clay which acted “like concrete” and held Tesar down.
"He wasn't able to move at all," he said. "It grabbed hold of him and he wasn't even able to move his feet to even attempt to get out."
The victim was taken to a hospital and released after being treated for minor exposure.
