Seeing a woman stuck on the side of a distant riverbank, a Colorado deputy sprung into action, diving into the frigid water in a move that may have saved her life.

On Sunday, Mesa County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a woman that had jumped into the Colorado River near 32 1/2 road in the Grand Junction area. When the deputies found the woman, 28, she was stuck on the far side of the riverbank between 29 Road Bridge and Corn Lake.

Clifton Fire Department was also on the scene, working to launch a boat into the river to rescue the stranded woman.

Fearing that time was running short and that the woman would be carried further down the river, an unnamed Mesa County Sheriff’s deputy donned a lifejacket and dove into the water to save the woman.

The deputy was able to reach the woman with a rope, keeping her safe until the rescue boat arrived.

Both the deputy and the woman were transported to a medical facility for exposure treatment. Temperatures were reportedly in the 30s during the early morning rescue. According to the USGS, the Colorado River in the region where the rescue occurred has fluctuated between upper-40s and low-50s in recent days.

Teams involved in the rescue include the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Clifton Fire Department, Grand Junction Fire Department, and the Grand Junction Police Department.

Editor’s Note: Help fund search and rescue missions across the state of Colorado by purchasing a CORSAR card at  ihelpsearch.org. This is not an insurance card. By purchasing a card, you are helping reimburse teams for costs incurred in providing help to lost and injured hikers, climbers, mountain bikers, hunters, ATV riders, skiers, snowboarders, and more.