Woman dies on Texas national park trail while hiking with family
A woman died while visiting a Texas national park with her family Monday as hot temperatures arrived in the area.
Big Bend National Park officials said they received a call around 4:20 p.m. requesting help near the Hot Springs Canyon Trail. When crews arrived at the scene they found a 53-year-old female hiker in medical distress and soon administered CPR, according to park officials.
First responders used an automated external defibrillator and continued to perform CPR for over an hour, but all attempts to revive the hiker were unsuccessful, the officials said.
The unidentified woman was visiting Big Bend for the first time with her family.
"Big Bend National Park staff and partners are saddened by this loss, and our entire park family extends sincere condolences to the hiker's family and friends," Deputy Superintendent David Elkowitz, said in a statement.
The incident is still under investigation, but extreme heat may have been a factor, according to officials.
The National Weather Service said temperatures in the park were 91 degrees around the time the emergency call was made.
The National Park Service warned that temperatures in Big Bend are starting to exceed 100 degrees.
"As the hotter months approach, Park Rangers wish to remind all visitors to be aware of the dangers of extreme heat," the agency said in a statement. "Hikers should be prepared to carry and drink one gallon of water per day, and to plan on being off desert trails by noon."
