Hiker gets stung by bees and needs flown out of Arizona canyon, rescuers say

A hiker was stung by bees on an Arizona trail and needed to be flown out of the canyon, rescuers said.

Rescuers from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department rushed to help the hiker on Monday, Sept. 5 after they were stung by bees.

The hiker, who was not identified by officials, had to be flown out of the area to a waiting ambulance. The hiker had been on the Pontatoc Ridge Trail, a challenging and popular 4.1-mile out-and-back trail near Tucson.

Jason Schlueter, a rescuer at the Southern Arizona Rescue Association, told KGUN three experienced hikers were stung by the bees.

“They knew what they were doing and they were smart enough to turn around and run downhill and get away from the bees as quickly as they could,” Schlueter told the news outlet.

Officials did not disclose the hiker’s condition at the time.

“Be alert, wear light colored clothing, carry a bee hood, and bring your Epi pen if allergic,” the search and rescue team said on Twitter.

Dozens of people die from bee stings each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between 2000 and 2017, more than 1,100 people died from hornet, wasp or bee stings.

The CDC said people can take these steps to help prevent insect stings:

• Wear light-colored clothing.

• Avoid smelly soaps, shampoos and deodorants.

• Wear clean clothing.

• Sweat angers bees. Bathe daily.

• Cover as much of the body as possible with clothing.

• Avoid flowering plants.

• Remain calm and still if an insect is flying around.

• Don’t swat the bees. It could cause them to sting.

This story was originally published September 6, 2022 at 12:02 PM with the headline "Hiker gets stung by bees and needs flown out of Arizona canyon, rescuers say."