Teen in stable condition after falling at least 70 feet into the Grand Canyon
Written by ABC Audio. All rights reserved. on August 11, 2023
(NEW YORK) — A 13-year-old boy is in stable condition after falling at least 70 feet into the Grand Canyon, the National Park Service said.
Grand Canyon National Park’s Search and Rescue responded this week to a report of a visitor who had fallen over the edge on the North Rim.
The teenager had fallen approximately 70 to 100 feet below Bright Angel Point on Tuesday, the National Park Service said.
“After determining a helicopter rescue was not feasible, [Search and Rescue] team members quickly set up a rope rescue and were able to safely raise him to the rim,” the National Park Service said in a statement.
The boy was flown to a pediatric trauma center. As of Thursday he remains in stable condition and continues to be treated for his injuries, the National Park Service said.
Meghan Smith, Grand Canyon National Park’s preventive search and rescue supervisor, said the team’s “training and hard work paid off, leading to a smooth, timely operation that will no doubt lead to better outcomes for this patient.”
The National Park Service warned that the popular Bright Angel Point Trail is “exposed, narrow, and surprisingly steep,” while reminding visitors to stay on designated trails and walkways and remain at least six feet from the edge of the rim at all times.
In August 2022, a 44-year-old man died after falling over the edge on the North Rim near Bright Angel Point. The visitor was off-trail when he accidentally fell approximately 200 feet below the rim, the National Park Service said.
The Grand Canyon National Park Search and Rescue team responds to on average more than 300 calls per year for services ranging from falls over the canyon’s edge to heat illness, according to the National Park Service.
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