A California mountain biker died over the weekend after assisting in the rescue of several stranded hikers.
The biker was among a group of cyclists who found four hikers who had no food or water in 106-degree heat in Jacumba in San Diego County on Saturday, according to NBC San Diego.
They called for emergency services and two of the cyclists rode about 5 miles to the trailhead to give GPS coordinates to rescuers.
“Once the four hikers were lifted to safety, they required no further treatment,” Cal Fire Cpt. Brent Pascua told the affiliate station. “That’s when the last two mountain bikers rode back to the trailhead to meet up with everyone. And somewhere in between there, the last two got separated.”
One of the cyclists was found unresponsive about a quarter mile from the trailhead. They were put into an air conditioned truck and driven to a nearby ambulance. However, life-saving measures were unsuccessful, Pascua said, and they were pronounced dead about three hours after the ordeal began.
None of the four hikers required hospitalization, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
“It’s unfortunate this was a good Samaritan just trying to help out ... unfortunately bad things happen to people out there when it’s this hot,” Pascua said.
He added that people should pack more water than usual if they decide to perform recreational activities in extreme heat.
“Know your limitations and try and get help as soon as possible, that way we can get out there and help you.”
