Rescuers located Jazzmin Hock, 28, Sarah Vida, 28, and Vida’s 9-year-old son Kayden Kovalcik on August 8 after they were stranded in remote Michigan woods for three days. The group was found approximately 7 miles from where they entered the Muskegon River, according to Michigan Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Cameron Wright.
Authorities confirmed the tubers were treated for dehydration, exhaustion, and leg injuries after being rescued by state troopers and conservation officers. Officials stated their tubes deflated when they struck a logjam, leaving them stranded on the riverbank. The trio had been reported missing after failing to attend a scheduled appointment.
Rescue details
Rescue teams, including Michigan State Police and conservation officers, located the group after a three-day search involving water, air, and land operations. Bodycam footage shows rescuers shouting, “Make some noise!” before discovering the tubers. One rescuer, State Trooper Zach Murphy, was seen embracing Hock and providing a shirt. Conservation Officer Anna Cullen noted the dense vegetation, describing it as “higher than your eyes” and including sharp switchgrass and stinging nettles.
Survivors’ condition
The group had limited supplies, including a broken phone and a single water bottle with only a few sips remaining. Vida’s father told authorities he found her vehicle at the Maple Island Boat Launch with a broken window. The tubers were last seen on the river for four hours before becoming lost.
Search efforts
Search teams scoured the river and rugged terrain, tracking footprints and broken twigs. Conservation Officer Wright stated, “It was nothing short of a miracle that we ended up finding them the way we did.” The rescue occurred amid temperatures that contributed to their physical decline.
Background
The incident began on August 5 when the group launched their tubing trip on the Muskegon River in Western Michigan. Their tubes, described as pool equipment, were not designed for river conditions. The father of one of the women reported the group missing after they failed to appear for a dentist appointment.
Medical treatment
Following their rescue, the tubers were taken to medical facilities for evaluation. Authorities did not specify the exact nature of their injuries beyond scrapes, cuts, dehydration, and exhaustion. The group’s survival strategies included consuming dew and chewing on bark and flowers, according to rescue accounts.