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Japanese hiker dies on Devil's Corkscrew amid heat advisory

File photo

File photo

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - A hiker, identified as 36-year-old Takayuki Fujiwara of Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, died while hiking the Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon National Park on June 18.

At around 3:45 p.m. last Thursday, hikers reported to a park ranger near Indian Garden on the Bright Angel Trail that a member of their party needed help. The ranger responded to a portion of the trail known as the Devil's Corkscrew. By the time the ranger arrived, more members of the party said they had attempted resuscitation efforts, but Fujiwara had not had a pulse for about two hours.

The hiking group was on its way back up the Bright Angel Trail after hiking to the Colorado River. The temperature on the trail on June 18 was in excess of 110 degrees and the National Weather Service had issued an excessive heat warning for Grand Canyon National Park.

The National Park Service in coordination with the Coconino County Medical Examiner is investigating the incident. No additional information is available at this time.


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