Freezing woman survives for two days on floating mattress after getting stuck on lake in -10C temperatures
She floated for nearly two miles before reaching dry land on Thursday
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A stranded woman was reportedly discovered after floating for two days on a blow-up mattress in the middle of an Oklahoma lake.
After drifting along for nearly two miles on the inflatable raft in -2C temperatures on Wednesday and -10C on Thursday, per World Weather, the woman drifted ashore before being rescued at train tracks near Lake Texoma.
Train Conductor Cristhian Sosa and Train Engineer Justin Luster came across the woman while on their regular southbound trip aboard a freight train from Madill, Oklahoma, to Irving, Texas, reports KRMG. She was holding onto the mattress, waving her arms and shouting for help.
“She was literally laying on the ground waving one arm, basically her left arm, the one that her arm wasn’t stuck with her jacket and she was asking for help so we instantly knew she was hurt and she needed help,” Sosa said.
“Well naturally we kinda thought maybe she was delirious, we really didn’t know what really happened and it wasn’t until we got to the crossing where highway patrolman had come out to find out her story was accurate, she had been floating on that air mattress for a solid day or two,” Luster added.
Freight network operator BNSF told NBC News the pair stopped the train to help the woman - who identified herself only as Connie - and called the emergency services for assistance.
The crew moved her to the second engine to warm her up as she was showing signs of hypothermia, it added, and her hands were cut up and bleeding, and she struggled to walk.
Connie told Sosa and Luster she had been floating for two days on the partially-frozen man-made reservoir after becoming separated from a man she had been with.
The woman and her companion had been using the blow-up mattress as a raft to get to a boat on the lake, Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.
She was taken to a local hospital where she is expected to make a full recovery.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments