Two People And Their Incapacitated Dog Became Disoriented During A Canyon Hike

When two hikers and their dog became lost in Otero Canyon in the Tonto National Forest just east of Phoenix, NM, their rescue was helped by a local firefighter flying his personal drone. But it was not part of the search effort.

Television station KOAT reports that one of the hikers called 911 on May 12 about 1700 local time to say they were lost. A five-person SAR team was dispatched, including the firefighter and his drone.  

Within an hour, the hikers had been located, according to Bernalillo County Fire Department Lt. David Lujan. But then the team also became disoriented, he said. The firefighter who was part of the team and had packed his drone into the canyon deployed the aircraft and had it hover over their location. The aircraft helped the team find their way out of the canyon.

Lujan said that the department had been considering purchasing drones before the rescue, but "this particular mission ... proved that it could work," he said.

(Image provided by the Bernalillo County Fire Department)

FMI: Original report