Emergency Crews Rescue Man Stranded On Verdigris River

Emergency crews conducted a rope rescue for a man stranded on the Verdigris River beneath the Interstate 44 overpass on Friday morning.

Officials said that they first received the call around 4 a.m. on Friday morning and arrived on the scene to find a man stranded on a bridge protection cell.

According to authorities, the man's father said that he left the house around 11 p.m. on Thursday evening. Police said that he was traveling eastbound on the Will Rogers Turnpike when he drove off the road and plunged his vehicle into the river.

The man told officials that he swam from his crashed vehicle before climbing on top of the bridge protection cell late on Thursday night.

Emergency crews from Verdigris, Limestone, Tulsa Fire Rescue and OHP arrived on the scene and worked to rescue the man early Friday morning. They sent down blankets and flares in an attempt to keep the man warm.

Rescue crews tried to send a boat out to conduct the rescue however winter weather conditions and ice prevented crews from deploying a rescue vessel.

Crews were eventually able to rescue the man around 6:45 a.m. when two freighters repelled from the I-44 bridge and retrieved the man.

Officials from OHP said that they did know who the man is and have notified his family.

According to police, the man's crashed vehicle is still in the lake as winter weather conditions have made a search for the vehicle difficult.

Officials said that the man was alert and talking at the time of his rescue.

According to authorities, they do not believe the accident was weather-related.

This is a developing story, stay with News On 6 for updates.