3 Utah hikers drown after whirlpool forms in canyon in California's Sierra Nevada range

Three Utah residents died Friday after being caught in a whirlpool during a canyoneering trip in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.

Tulare County fire officials told local NBC news affiliate KGET that crews responded to a reported drowning at the Seven Teacups hiking area around 5:20 p.m. on Friday. Upon arriving, the found the three victims, who were identified as David Bell, Jeannine Skinner and Peter On.

On Facebook, David Bell’s sister, Cyndi Bell Miller, wrote that the three were part of a group finishing a day of canyoneering and rappelling into a pool of water when Skinner was caught in a whirlpool.

“Another man, Peter On, jumped in to try and save her and they were both caught in the whirlpool,” Miller wrote in her post.

She added that her brother then jumped in to try and save his two companions before all three drowned.

“They were able to get the bodies out in about seven minutes and the CPR on them immediately and kept doing CPR for about 20 minutes, but they were not able to revive any of them,” Miller wrote.

A GoFundMe started for David Bell’s family had raised more than $11,000 as of August 26.

The Seven Teacups

The Seven Teacups trail, located near the town of Johnsondale, California, follows Dry Meadow Creek as it descends through a slick rock canyon containing a series of teacups, or pools, before emptying into the Kern River.

It is rated as a Class 3C canyon, meaning that it features water with a potentially strong current.

Max Hauptman is a Trending Reporter for USA TODAY. He can be reached at MHauptman@gannett.com