Tragic news out of Zion National Park where a 58-year-old many died while rappelling down Pine Creek Canyon. According to KUTV, National Park Service law enforcement responded to reports of a canyoneering accident just after 12pm.
While details of the incident are sparse, officials did say that bystanders performed CPR on the individual while first responders worked their way to the scene. Difficult terrain slowed the hike, and aid arrived on scene about an hour and a half after the first report around 1:30pm. The man was pronounced dead on the scene.
KSL reports that the man’s companion was rescued from the wall. The man, who’s name has not been made public, was brought to the medical examiner’s office via helicopter.
“Bystanders initiated CPR while NPS first responders hiked through difficult terrain to reach the patient. Due to the remote location, the Utah Department of Public Safety provided helicopter support for extraction.” – Interior Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Peach
The Zion National Park incident is currently under investigation by the National Park Service and Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
