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Fisherman Rescued From 20-Foot Riverbank Drop
13 Apr
Summary
- Elderly fisherman rescued after 20-foot fall to riverbank.
- Rescue operation involved rope systems and a stokes basket.
- Train traffic was halted during the 25-minute rescue effort.

An elderly fisherman found himself in a precarious situation on Saturday evening, requiring a swift rescue operation after an injury left him trapped at the bottom of a steep, 20-foot riverbank in Emsworth, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The man, whose identity has not been released, was found below train tracks that traverse the area.
Multiple fire companies, EMS, and police units responded to the call around 9:45 p.m. First responders quickly located the individual and employed a rope system along with a specialized stokes basket, a type of stretcher designed for aerial lifting, to ascend the embankment. This coordinated effort, involving eight individuals pulling the rope, successfully brought the fisherman to safety.
The entire rescue concluded within a brisk 25 minutes from the initial dispatch. During the operation, train traffic on the Norfolk Southern lines above the riverbank was temporarily suspended. The injured fisherman was then carefully placed into an ambulance via the stokes basket and transported to Northwest EMS for necessary medical attention.