On Saturday, July 15, a 24-year-old San Diego mountain biker died while helping a group of six dehydrated hikers. According to CBS, the 24-year-old was among a group of mountain bikers who came across the four struggling hikers in Jacumba.
The hikers reportedly suffered from illness symptoms brought on by the heat in the valley. The bikers proceeded to call Cal Fire San Diego, before helping to assist the hikers away from the remote area.
In the aftermath of the incident, the 24-year-old biker died after succumbing to the extreme temperatures.
Trigger warning: This article concerns an accidental death, the reader's description is advised
In response to the incident, San Diego officials urged hikers and cyclists to bring adequate food and water while travelling across the mountains. While officials have said that the young cyclist died due to the heat, the exact cause of death has not yet officially been released.
The timeline of the San Diego mountain rescue
According to Insider magazine, at the time of the incident, the four hikers had begun to feel heat illness-related symptoms in a remote area of Jacumba. The hikers had reportedly run out of food and water, and were unable to reach out for help.
Fire officials reported that the group of mountain bikers came across the hikers, before deciding to call an emergency crew.
As per the San Diego Union Tribune, two cyclists stayed at the scene with the hikers, including the 24-year-old who died in the incident. Two other cyclists left to help provide directions to the emergency crew.
Eventually, the paramedics were brought to the scene, where they treated the hikers before releasing them. However, when the 24-year-old cyclist attempted to ride down the trail to meet their friends, he collapsed several times.
Eventually, the 24-year-old cyclist was separated from their friend. The hikers returned to the remote Jacumba area, where they found him unconscious. The 24-year-old was airlifted from the area to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:45 pm.
In an official statement, Cal Fire acknowledged the efforts of the deceased cyclist.
A spokesperson from the agency said:
"A huge thank you to the bystanders that were able to lead the firefighters and rescue helicopter in to where the patients were in this very rugged and remote area."
In a separate interview with The San Diego Union Tribune, Cal fire Captain Brent Pascua discussed the dangerous temperatures in the mountains.
Pascua said:
"When it's this hot, maybe it's a good idea to plan the hike another day, or at least really early in the morning so it's not in the heat of the day. And when you do, take lots of water, take extra water than you think you're gonna need."
Authorities have not released the names of anyone involved in the incident.