BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas: Officials at Big Bend National Park in West Texas said a Florida man and his 14-year-old stepson died after hiking in extreme heat.
According to the National Park Service, the 31-year-old man had been hiking the Marufo Vega Trail with his two stepsons, aged 14 and 21, while temperatures were 119 degrees Fahrenheit (48 degrees Celsius).
The 14-year-old became ill during the hike and lost consciousness, and his stepfather then hiked back to their vehicle while the boy’s older brother tried to carry him to the trailhead, the park service said.
Authorities were first alerted about the emergency at 6 p.m. on June 24, and park rangers and US Border Patrol agents reached the scene at 7:30 p.m. and found the 14-year-old had died, the service added.
“Authorities began looking for the father and at 8 p.m. they found that his vehicle had crashed over an embankment at Boquillas Overlook, and he was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash,” the park service said.
In a news release, the park service said, “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.”