Hiker killed by lightning airlifted from summit of Humphrey’s Peak
The body of a young male who was struck by lightning and killed was recovered by an air rescue helicopter.
A young male, whose name has not been released, has died after he was struck by lightning during a hiking trip up Humphreys Peak in Northern Arizona, US, on 20 July.
The 17-year-old was with two other hikers, aged 17 and 18, both of whom sustained injuries that the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office described as being ‘likely received due to their proximity to the lightning strike’.
According to a sheriff’s spokeswoman, it took emergency responders some time to reach the hikers due to the heavy monsoon storm underway, with continuous lightening. When the responders got to them, the two injured parties were conscious and walking, while their friend was unresponsive.
The body was recovered near the summit of the Peak by an AZ DPS Air Rescue Helicopter pilot out of Kingman, a Coconino County Sheriff’s office deputy and a Coconino Sheriff’s SAR member.