Family of hikers rescued after stranding in Texas National Park

A 3-month-old baby and his parents were rescued by the Aircraft Operations Division (AOD) after they became lost and ran out of water while exploring in Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Dell City, Culberson County. The family was stranded on a hillside until a rescuer came down to secure them and bring them to land.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported in a statement that in recent days, the Aircraft Operations Division rescued a family of hikers who were stranded. Around 4:15 p.m., Guadalupe Mountains National Park rangers alerted DPS about a family of hikers.

After 9 miles they ran out of water

A 23-year-old woman and man, along with a 3-month-old baby, decided to explore the National Park and began their hike mid-morning, but at approximately 3:00 p.m., when they had covered 9 miles, the family ran out of water and began experiencing symptoms of dehydration and heat exhaustion, as high temperatures had been recorded in the park throughout the day.

The DPS AOD team immediately dispatched a Pilatus PC-12 aircraft to locate the family from the air. The crew located them on a mountainside, but upon seeing the location, decided to send an Airbus H-125 helicopter to assist in the rescue.

Officer performed medical evaluation

A tactical flight officer (TFO) disembarked from the helicopter to perform a medical evaluation on the three people. After reviewing the situation, he “determined that a hoist rescue operation was the best course of action for their safety,” DPS said in the statement.

The three were secured for transport by helicopter down the mountain, where ground rescue teams were waiting to provide them with medical attention.

“A family of hikers is safe after being rescued from Guadalupe Mountains National Park by the DPS Aircraft Operations Division,” they added.

The family is safe

The identity of the parents and the baby was not revealed by the authorities, who said that all three are in good health, after being treated by the medical services.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains, nearly 2 hours from El Paso, Texas. The mountain range includes Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas, at 8,751 feet (2,667 m). Heading east, about 7 miles from the Texas-New Mexico state line.

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