A couple’s desert hike near Joshua Tree National Park turned life-threatening as they ran out of water. The incident happened on June 9 at the Ladder Canyon Trail in Mecca, Southern California. The man urgently called for medical help and reported that his girlfriend was severely dehydrated and weak amid the boiling conditions. The temperatures went up to 103 degrees and the area is called one of the hottest in the US. Dramatic footage captured by the rescue mission, shows a helicopter hovering over the desert while the man was shielding his companion from the scorching sun and winds. At the end, both individuals escaped from the harsh desert, as they were airlifted to safety.
Sharing the footage on Instagram, Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit’s Rescue 9 explained, “The aircrew responded overhead and a Sheriff’s EMT was hoisted down to the patient. The female patient and her boyfriend were hoisted out and due to her severe condition, an aeromedical helicopter was dispatched to Rescue 9’s landing zone to fly the patient to the hospital. Please remember as the temps increase take more water than you think you will need, have a hiking plan, and tell two people where you are going.”
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As per the Associated Press, the Sheriff’s Department said, “Please remember as the temps increase take more water than you think you will need, have a hiking plan, and tell two people where you are going.”
Deputy Manny Romero and his team received a distress call from the woman’s boyfriend. The crew lifted the boyfriend first, followed by his girlfriend, who was semi-conscious and was later taken to a nearby hospital for further treatment.
“We usually get calls there this time of year because of the excessive heat, probably a couple times a week at least. Generally for every hour that you hike you want to have about a liter of water,” Romero told ABC7. While Chief Anthony Marrone added, “Unfortunately, this vegetation will soon dry out and become fuel for wildland fires.”
On the day of the rescue, the area recorded temperatures ranging from 37.8 to 40.6 degrees Celsius, according to the National Weather Service.
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