By Jerald Jimenez
Jun 25, 2024, 10:29 AM EDT
The body of a hiker was found on Monday on a trail in the wilderness area of San Diego, California, after having disappeared on Sunday morning.
The woman, named Diem Le Nguyen, 50, had become separated from a group of about 100 hikers when they were walking on Nighthaws Trail, in Black Mountain Open Space Park, in the Rancho Peñasquitos area.
Local reports say a search helicopter spotted a body Monday morning in the area where Nguyen was walking. The search and rescue mission moved on to a medical examination, so the autopsy result is expected to be published soon, as well as official confirmation of Nguyen’s identity.
At approximately 8:00 a.m., Nguyen began the hike with the group. He then made it halfway up the mountain before many decided to turn around and head back down due to the heat. However, the hiker decided to continue the hike alone to the top of the mountain.
Nguyen was last heard from after 10:00 a.m., when he called relatives saying he was very hot and needed water. After this, no more was known about her whereabouts.
The search and rescue operation, including the deployment of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department helicopter crew, was launched around 11:30 a.m.
Police officers had asked for the public’s help in finding Nguyen and requested that anyone with information about his whereabouts call 911 immediately.
Police said some members of the hiking group turned back because of the heat, which reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but Nguyen was determined to reach the summit of the 4,048-foot-high Black Mountain.
At the time of his disappearance, Nguyen was wearing a black shirt with a pink heart on the front, black pants, a brown hat, sunglasses and a backpack.
With information from ABC News