California police have confirmed that a dad who jumped into the American River to rescue his son has been found dead. The incident happened in Placer County on the afternoon of Sunday, August 18, and witnesses said a young boy began struggling in the river before his father dashed to his rescue him and disappeared. A man who saw the incident unfolding ran to help and managed to pull the child to safety but could not find his father.
The missing father was later identified as 38-year-old Zabiullah Haliqyar. State Park Superintendent for the Auburn State Recreation Area, Lauren Shoemaker, confirmed that the child was unharmed but added that many people are unaware of how dangerous parts of the American River can be. Local swimmer Ryan Thrift agreed and said, “It’s just way too fast and not too many places to get out.”
On Monday, August 20, a police dive team from the Placer County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release confirming that Mr. Haliqyar’s body was found near the No Hands Bridge, close to where he was last seen.
The American River is a 30-mile-long river that runs from the Sierra Nevada mountain range to downtown Sacramento. In June, two people drowned at the meeting of El Dorado and Placer Counties in what officials describe as a particularly dangerous part of the river.
A 33-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, and a 15-year-old died later the same day in hospital. A third teenager also involved in the incident survived and was released after minor medical treatment. Police identified the dead man as Mohammad Fahim Hemat from Sacramento, but the boy was not named. That tragedy occurred just weeks after a 52-year-old woman drowned in the same area.
Placer County officials said rapids at that intersection are deceptively fast and have the potential to transport unsuspecting swimmers at fast speeds and smash them into rocks or carry them downstream. “People who might think they are in a safe spot can be only a few steps away from being swept downriver into this hazard,” one official said.
