Man and teen stepson die after hiking in extreme heat at Big Bend in Texas
A Florida man and his teenage stepson died after hiking in extreme heat at Big Bend national park in south-west Texas, according to officials.
The boy died after falling ill during the hike, and his stepfather was killed in a car accident as he tried to find help, authorities said. Their identities weren’t immediately released.
The stepfather, 31, had been hiking the Marufo Vega Trail on Friday with his two stepsons, ages 14 and 21.
Temperatures at the time were 119F (48C), the National Park Service said. Like other parts of Texas, the park was experiencing extreme heat with daily high temperatures ranging from 110F (43C) to 119F.
The 14-year-old became sick during the hike and lost consciousness.
His stepfather hiked back to his car while the boy was carried back to the trailhead by his older brother, according to the park service.
Authorities were first alerted about the emergency at 6pm local time Friday. A team of park rangers and US border patrol agents reached the scene at 7.30pm and found the 14-year-old had died.
Authorities began searching the area for the father and at 8pm they found that his vehicle had crashed over an embankment at the Boquillas Overlook. The man was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, the park service said.
The names of the two victims were not immediately released by authorities, and the causes of their deaths were not immediately known.
The late boy’s 21-year-old brother was not physically harmed, park service officials added.
“The Marufo Vega Trail winds through extremely rugged desert and rocky cliffs within the hottest part of Big Bend national park. No shade or water makes this strenuous trail dangerous to attempt in the heat of summer,” the park service said in a news release.