Sept. 3 (UPI) — Authorities said one hiker died and eight others were rescued after running out of water in the mountains of north Malibu.
Malibu Search and Rescue said on Facebook that it saved eight hikers from four different cliff-sides in the Zuma Canyon near Malibu following simultaneous distress calls made to authorities Monday afternoon.
However, a man died of heat stroke despite efforts by hikers and rescue workers, Malibu SAR said in a statement, adding that the rescue operation lasted over three hours and involved several agencies and two helicopters.
“Our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the man who perished,” it said.
Authorities said the male hiker was in his 60s and was dead upon their arrival while two others were suffering from heat-related illness, KTLA 5 reported.
Lt. Pauline Panis, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Malibu-Lost Hills Station, said rescue operations began after her office received the distress call at around 4 p.m.
In a tweet, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office advised the public to avoid the area after hikers called for help after running out of water.
According to AccuWeather, Malibu experienced a high of 86 degrees on Monday.
