Hurt hiker rescued from Flagstaff cave

While the harrowing rescue of a young Thai soccer team trapped in a cave captured the world’s attention, another rescue was happening here in Arizona.

A 44-year-old man hiking in the Lava River Cave in Flagstaff was rescued on July 9 after he hurt his ankle near the end of the mile-long cave, according to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

Details about how the man hurt his ankle were not immediately available.

Coconino County Sheriff ’s Office, in conjunction with Coconino County Sheriff ’s Search and Rescue, Guardian Medical Transport and Ponderosa Fire District, responded around 2 p.m. Monday to the incident.

The Sheriff’s Office said 23 rescue personnel from three agencies were involved in the operation. The rocky and uneven terrain in the cave and darkness made the rescue challenging. Rescuers pulled the hiker out of the cave at 5:52 p.m., the Sheriff ’s Office said.

The man was taken to Flagstaff Medical Center for the ankle injury.

If you’re planning a trip to the Lava River Cave, be aware that the ground is rocky and uneven, the cave is pitchblack and temperatures range from 32 to 40 degrees inside.