Tragic news out of California where the bodies of three individuals were located in the Mount Baldy on Monday, December 29th. According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, a request to locate an injured 19-year-old male hiker near Devils Backbone came is at about 11:30am.
The hiker had reportedly fallen about 500 feet and his hiking companion hiked to an area with cell service to provide GPS coordinates to rescuers. Personnel from the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team and the Fontana Sheriff’s Station responded, with Search and Rescue ground crews beginning their ascent while Sheriff’s Air Rescue started an aerial search.
During the aerial search, deputies were able to locate the injured hiker and two additional unidentified individuals. Unfortunately, due to the high winds, the helicopter was unable to complete the rescue.
At around 7:30pm, an airship from Los Angeles County began assisting in the effort. High winds once again prevented a hoist operation but an air medic was hoisted down and, tragically, confirmed that all three individuals were deceased. A recovery for the three individuals is still underway as of last update.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fontana Sheriff’s Station at (909) 356-6767 or Sheriff’s Dispatch at (909) 387-8313. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.” – San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office
Our thoughts and condolences are with the friends and family of the deceased at this time.
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