MISSOULA COUNTY, Mont. — A person died after a side-by-side accident early Saturday morning, according to the Frenchtown Rural Fire District.
Around 6:39 a.m., Frenchtown Rural firefighters, the Missoula County Sheriff's Office and Life Flight responded to a reported side-by-side accident in a remote area north of Frenchtown, according to the Frenchtown Rural Fire District. The crash site was located by Life Flight, but crews were unable to land nearby.
Firefighters encountered closed roads, prompting a ground team to begin a 2.5-mile hike to the crash site, according to the Frenchtown Rural Fire District. Firefighters also worked to get smaller ATVs into the area, coordinating with search and rescue personnel, bystanders and their own families.
The Frenchtown Rural Fire District said no other air resources were available in the area for hoist operations.
Around 8:49 a.m., one person involved in the crash was found approximately 400 feet down a steep embankment. Another person was treated for minor injuries and transported to an ambulance. After Missoula County Search and Rescue arrived, crews coordinated with Frenchtown Rural firefighters on a rope rescue.
However, despite rescue efforts, the person died at the scene, according to the Frenchtown Rural Fire District.
"This was a very difficult rescue attempt, but our firefighters and SAR did an excellent job with the tools they had available to them. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends as they work through this tragedy," the Frenchtown Rural Fire District wrote on social media.
