Page 18 - Life Ring News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Ice under the water, and that was the last thing i wanted to have happen. >> moriarty can't know it yet, but he would soon face his greatest fear. but for now, they inch out into the raging waters, hoping to get the man a life ring. onshore, a rescue worker finds a suicide note from the man now fighting fiercely for his life. but carella and moriarty know nothing about the note, and they're able to make contact with the victim. >> we wanted to reassure him, tell him that we're coming to get you, we're here for you. >> he was able to yell loud enough that i can't stand here much longer. i'm col...

Unstable. co-pilot art litsinger knows he has precious seconds to act and only he can save the man now. but spray is pelting him in the face. and so blindly he tosses the life ring into the teeth of the swirling wind. >> fortunately i got pretty close to him, and the current took it right across in front of his face, about two foot in front of him. >> now it's do or die for the man who has held on for so long. >> he's got it. >> he actually had to let go of what he was holding onto to get the ring. it was about a foot or two in front of him. he let go, and he grabbed the ring. we did see that ...

It's march 19th, 2003. rescuers have been trying for more than an hour to save a man from falling nearly 180 feet over the edge of niagara falls to his death. from the air rescuers are attempting to toss him a life ring. but suddenly the man slips, and they fear they've lost him for good. >> when he first fell, he grabbed onto the rocks. and then within a few seconds, he slid back probably another two or three feet. and at that point, his legs actually went over the brink. >> but against all odds, the man is able to pull himself up on a rock. >> and then there's just jubilation. he stands up, ...

Captain kevin caffery hovers above, trying to get a rescue basket close enough for the man to grasp. >> we made four or five attempts to get him with the rescue basket. we got pretty close to him. the problem is with the treacherous air current, it was almost impossible to control the aircraft. >> at some point he said, i'm running out of power. we're not going to be able to do this. >> another failed attempt. the chopper returns to land so the team can come up with plan "c." and in the water, carella and moriarty know time is not on their side. >> at this time now, it's starting to get dark. ...

Currents. but co-pilot art litsinger suggests they get the life ring to the victim from the air. >> we're going to have to actually get fairly close and try to toss this ring out somewhere where he could get ahold of it. >> i knew our biggest problem was the rotor wash from the aircraft itself, the wind speed. and i was afraid we were going to knock him over. >> but they're willing to give it a shot. >> we're probably only about a foot or two off the water. we tried to get in close. i was trying to get our side of the aircraft in close to him so he could throw the gentleman the ring. and as so...