Rescuers from seven emergency departments converged on the Fairfax Bridge Thursday afternoon after receiving reports of a car over the embankment. Emergency responders led by East Pierce Fire and Rescue’s Technical Rescue Team successfully recovered the driver of the car from the bottom of the Carbon River ravine.

The man was driving on state Route 165, roughly 10 miles south of Buckley, when at 1 p.m. he attempted to make a U-turn near the bridge, reported Washington state troopers. His car tipped over the embankment, stopping at more than 20 feet down the slope. The driver exited the car and began to climb out, but lost his footing and fell more than 100 feet down the ravine toward the Carbon River.

Three hours later, around 4 p.m., two off-duty law enforcement officers stopped to investigate the apparently abandoned car. They heard the driver yelling for help and called 911.

East Pierce Fire and Rescue’s Technical Rescue Team led a high-angle rope rescue to recover the seriously injured driver.

He was brought to a waiting medic unit just after 6:30 p.m. He was transported to a landing zone where he was airlifted to a local trauma center.

The Pierce County Special Operations Rescue Team was activated to assist in the rescue. Technical rescue personnel from Central Pierce Fire and Rescue, Gig Harbor Fire and Medic One and West pierce Fire and Rescue joined East Pierce, as did the Carbonado Fire Department.

Washington State Patrol is investigating the cause of the car crash.