Chilling video shows Arizona cyclist sucked into flooded tunnel, then comes a miracle
TUCSON, ARIZONA: For a few terrifying seconds, an Arizona cyclist appeared to disappear for good after floodwaters swept her beneath a bridge at Sabino Canyon on Thursday, August 13.
Witnesses watched as the 20-year-old was pulled into a drainage tunnel by the powerful current, while a would-be rescuer was swept away trying to help.
What followed was a frantic rescue involving strangers, deputies, and CPR and an outcome that could have been far worse.
20-year-old female cyclist revived by means of CPR after becoming trapped underwater after attempting to cross a flooded bridge in Arizona.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 15, 2026
The woman eventually was sucked into a tunnel and ejected 100 feet downstream.
She was then given CPR until she regained consciousness. pic.twitter.com/TvEbzbDrKB
Cyclist sucked into water tunnel
The dramatic incident unfolded at Sabino Canyon, where powerful floodwaters had surged through the area.
The woman had been riding her bicycle across a bridge when the force of the water swept both her and the bike underneath it, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Office.
Eyewitness video captures just how quickly the situation turned dangerous.
The cyclist can be seen struggling near the churning water before the current suddenly pulls her beneath the bridge and out of sight.
For the people watching, she was simply gone. But the drainage system carried her farther downstream rather than trapping her beneath the bridge.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos later described the force of the water as powerful enough to send the woman roughly 100 feet downstream through the tunnel before she emerged again.
The rescue left authorities emphasizing the sheer danger posed by apparently passable floodwaters.
ICYMI: The Pima County Sheriffs Department says before 8 this morning, they responded to Sabino Canyon for a rescue.
— Mary Coleman (@Mary_reports) August 13, 2026
A family of three tried to cross a flooded bridge on bicycles. During the crossing, a 20-year-old woman fell from her bicycle and became trapped underwater.… pic.twitter.com/wVxqYrgT52
Nanos pointed to several ways the incident could have ended tragically, including the possibility that the tunnel might have been blocked or that the cyclist could have struck her head while being carried through it.
Rescuer also swept away by current
As people rushed toward the cyclist, another woman stepped into the water to help. The decision nearly cost her her own life.
The would-be rescuer was caught by the same current and swept downstream. She was carried roughly 100 feet before eventually being brought to safety.
What began as an attempt to save one person had suddenly put another rescuer in danger. Other Good Samaritans continued working together until both women could be pulled from the water.
The cyclist was reportedly unresponsive when rescuers reached her. CPR was performed, and she miraculously regained consciousness.
Deputies arriving at the scene also helped get the woman out of the drainage area. Both women were taken to a local hospital and were reported to be in stable condition.
