Sheriff ID's 3 men who drowned in California waterfall
Placer County sheriff's deputies look for three men who drowned at Rattlesnake Falls. Photo: sheriff
SODA SPRINGS, Calif. - The Placer County Sheriff's Office has now identified the three men who drowned after jumping into the water at Rattlesnake Falls, a remote area near Soda Springs.
Authorities identified the three men as Matthew Schoenecker and Valentino Creus of Los Angeles and Matthew Anthony of New York City.
The San Francisco Chronicle said they were staying in Novato for an annual three-week workshop organized by Opus Dei, a conservative Catholic organization, and had gone hiking on one of the days.
The bodies of the three men were recovered on Sunday, ending a massive search involving dive teams that started four days earlier.
The temperature of the water in that area is "dangerously cold" and "can even be life-threatening," according to Placer County officials.