In Gagnières two motorists swept away by the river, one was rescued, the other is still missing

The dog team combs the bank, looking for the missing person. Free Midi – Alexis BETHUNE

The intervention to rescue the survivor was particularly complicated. Free Midi – Alexis BETHUNE

Le PC sécurité avec les différents services de secours a été installé à la mairie de Gagnières. Midi Libre – Alexis BETHUNE

Les recherches sont suspendues pour la nuit et reprendront aux premières heures ce dimanche. Les cours d'eau du bassin-versant autour de Saint-Ambroix sont scrutés. Une décrue est espérée.
 

The driver of the car initially hesitated, started a U-turn to leave, then changed his mind and tried to cross the submersible bridge on the Chemin de la Vigière which spans the Ganière, on the town of Gagnières. The two men have the idea of ​​joining the nearby housing estate.

"We don't understand why they tried to pass, the barriers and signs to warn of the danger were in place", assures a rescuer arrived at the scene in the evening.
Research continued on part of the spirea in order to find

The 4×4 swept away by the waters

The vehicle, a 4×4, was taken away, it was around 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, March 9. In the passenger compartment, two men from the same family. A sixty-year-old of Belgian origin, residing in the town for many years and his son-in-law aged 42.

The latter manages to extricate himself from the sinking vehicle and cling to the branches of a submerged tree while waiting for help.

The emergency services mobilized a substantial search system: around fifteen gendarmes from Saint-Ambroix, Salindres reinforced by personnel from the Alès company, as well as 25 firefighters from across the department, including # 39;s whitewater rescue unit, divers and a dog team are combing the area in search of the missing person.

A particularly delicate intervention

Around 10 p.m., the forty-year-old was found. The intervention to fetch him is particularly risky due to the current and the ice jams in the river.
After much effort, the rescuers managed to bring the victim back to the bank. The man was taken care of by an ambulance.

The search continued for part of the night. Around 11:15 p.m., the device was lifted. The security PC installed at the town hall has been dismantled pending recovery. "The search must resume this Sunday morning, at daybreak. We hope for a decline to facilitate the investigations", confirms a fire officer.

The level of the Cèze particularly observed in Saint-Ambroix

in Saint-Ambroix, several people, including a family from Gagnières with three children, were blocked in the room after the show for the Restos du coeur. A restaurant owner couple was unable to return to their home. 

The level of the Cèze gave rise to concerns and questions about evacuating the Travelers' camp on the banks of the river. < /p>

The security PC installed at the town hall worked most of the night. elected officials, gendarmes and firefighters remained attentive to the weather forecasts. Everyone was expecting a decline in the early hours of Sunday.