GRAND CANYON (KTNV) — A hiker is safe and recovering after being injured at Grand Canyon National Park and being left behind by his group.
The Mohave County Sheriff's Office received a call for help on Friday night around 6 p.m. from someone using an Apple device through a satellite connection.
Investigators said a group of five friends were backpacking on the North Rim along the Kanab Creek whenever a 63-year-old man in their group fell and had a traumatic injury to his shoulder that needed emergency medical attention.
When search and rescue officials arrived, the man told them he injured himself around 2 p.m. that day. Once contact with first responders was made using the Apple device, the other four people in his group continued backpacking and left him behind. He said the group had been backpacking for about three or four days and had another three or four days ahead of them.
Search and rescue officials flew a helicopter from Kingman into a very tall, dark canyon surrounding Kanab Creek, which landed about a quarter mile from the injured hiker's location. He was stabilized, taken to the helicopter, and transported to a Flagstaff hospital to be treated.
According to first responders, groups should never leave someone behind alone and whenever possible, they should stay together to make sure the injured person is rescued before continuing on their journey.
