Missing Boy Scouts: One Dead, Five Others Rescued

Scout Hike Proves Deadly to One, Five Others Rescued

An unrelenting heat wave in the Southwestern United States proved deadly during a Boy Scout hike in the Lake Mead National Recreational area near Boulder City, NV. With the thermometer reaching 110 degrees, one 69-year old hiker died from heat exhaustion, and another adult along with 4 Scouts participating in the hike had to be rescued. The Boy Scout troupe became disoriented and lost while hiking about one mile away from the main trailhead. They alerted rescue crews using their cell phones, but rescuers did not arrive soon enough to prevent the death of Las Vegas resident Clawson Bowman Jr.

The ill-fated group was eventually located in the White Rock Canyon area of the Park. The five individuals who were rescued all were suffering from dehydration and other heat-related illnesses and transported to a local medical center for emergency assistance. Officials are conducting an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death for the adult hiker who passed away.

Little is known about how prepared the group was for a hike during severely hot weather or if they were properly outfitted to survive temperatures that exceeded 100 degrees. It was not known how long the Scout group was in the wilderness region before help reached them.

“Our sympathies go out to the Bowman family,” said Christie Vanover, a spokesperson with the park, in a statement obtained by 8 News Now. “We are thankful that, with the support of around 30 first responders, the others were safely rescued. The boys were very brave this afternoon as they tried to explain their location to our dispatchers.”

On The Web:

Missing Boy Scouts Found After Man Dies Near Nevada-Arizona Border
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/1-dead-5-rescued-in-hiking-area-at-lake-mead-recreation-area-all-suffered-heat-illnesses/2013/06/09/41b37cb0-d0dd-11e2-9772-6fcf660e8c49_story.html