PHOENIX, AZ – A ten-year-old boy tragically lost his life in Arizona after being rescued from South Mountain. The unfortunate incident has prompted authorities to issue warnings about the perils of hiking amidst searing temperatures.
Phoenix Police Department Public Affairs Sergeant Brian Bower confirmed that a response was activated close to 3 p.m. local time on Tuesday. Authorities arrived in response to distress calls about a boy experiencing heat-related issues while hiking on the Mormon Trailhead on South Mountain, which is situated south of Phoenix.
Helicopter footage showed the boy being airlifted from the trail. Based on the authorities’ report, they discovered him about one mile up the trail. After his airlift from the mountain, the boy was immediately taken to a nearby hospital.
Prior to the official statements, firefighters speculated that the child might have been on the trail for a considerable duration before emergency services were contacted.
The incident coincides with a period of unbearable heat levels experienced in Arizona and the wider US.
Phoenix city officials caution residents and tourists, drawing their attention to the immense difficulty posed by some hiking trails on South Mountain. They further advise hikers to acquire adequate knowledge about the challenging nature of these trails before embarking on hiking activities.