Boy dies while hiking a mountain trail in the heat

PHOENIX (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Phoenix police say that a 10-year-old boy is now dead after being airlifted from a valley hiking trail Tuesday afternoon.

First responders say the boy was with family hiking at south mountain, adding that they were from out of town.

A devastating scene unfolding at South Mountain Tuesday Afternoon when a 10-year-old boy was pulled from a hiking trail and rushed to the hospital in extremely critical condition.

"Some of these trails on South Mountain are pretty difficult. You know, they're pretty long," said Captain Shaun DuBois with the Phoenix Fire Department (PFD)

All fire departments responded

PFD says early information indicates the boy was hiking with relatives and they were from out of town.

Their hike starting around 9:30am, but the call for help coming more than four hours later around 2:00pm.

Phoenix, Tempe and Chandler Fire Departments all responding.

"Technical rescue team members were able to converge upon the trails and make contact with a patient approximately one mile up the trail and began rendering aid," Dubois shared.

Witness

Because of the boy's condition and location on the trail fire crews used a helicopter to pull him up, landing at a nearby park where an ambulance was waiting.

Sadly, the boy didn't survive, and police say he died as a result of a heat-related medical event.

"As a parent, I feel horrible for what happened," said Mark Sakowicz, a Phoenix resident who lives nearby and witnessed the response. "It's unusual to have multiple helicopters out on the same day. I think I've seen it land like three times...and I've been out here about five years and I've only seen that one other time."

With the temperature reaching a high of 113 degrees, officials say it's unclear how long the group planned to stay on the trail, noting after the boy was rescued the Phoenix helicopter went back to the trail, getting reports that others there were in need of water.

"Stay hydrated"

"If you're an inexperienced hiker, potentially from out of town, you may or may not be aware of the level of difficulty or how long those trails are," DuBois expressed.

As the summer heat continues fire officials urging hikers to be smart and stay off the trails.

"Unless it's early in the morning or later in the evening, remember to please stay hydrated. If you can wear light, light colored clothing, light fitted clothing," DuBois added.

The Phoenix Police Department (PPD) had detectives on scene Tuesday night and they're investigating what led up to the rescue.