The body of a 50-year-old hiker who went missing on a San Diego trail after becoming separated from his companions during Sunday’s heat wave was found near a densely populated area, authorities said.
San Diego police Lt. Daniel Meyer told reporters at a news conference near the search area that the body of an Asian woman was found on a trail during a helicopter search of Black Mountain around 9:15 a.m. Monday. , believed to be Diem Le Nguyen.
“She was only a quarter of a mile away from the crowd, the street,” Meyer said. “She almost succeeded.”
Meyer said a hat that Nguyen was believed to be wearing when he disappeared was found shortly before search teams discovered the body.
Hiker missing for 10 days found alive in Northern California mountains
Police say Diem Le Nguyen appears in this photo taken Sunday before she disappeared. (San Diego Police Department)
Police said Nguyen was hiking the Nighthawk Trail in the Black Hills with about 100 people, including family and friends, around 8 a.m. when they stopped halfway.
Diem Le Nguyen disappeared after being separated from his companions and continuing to walk alone on the Nighthawk Trail, authorities said. (FOX5 San Diego KSWB)
According to FOX5 San Diego, the organization is participating in the “Build a School Foundation” annual fundraising event.
Nguyen left the group alone and continued to the summit alone, according to police.
Diem Le Nguyen, 50, who disappeared while hiking the Black Mountain Nighthawk Trail in San Diego, was reported missing Sunday. (San Diego Police Department)
Meyer told reporters that around 10 a.m., Nguyen called her family for help, saying she was hot and needed water. That was the last time anyone heard from Nguyen.
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Meyer said search and rescue personnel, including helicopters, dogs, drones and ground troops, were immediately deployed to find Nguyen because of the call and because it was so hot on the mountain.
Search and rescue teams are searching for missing hiker Diem Le Nguyen near the Black Mountain Nighthawk Trail in San Diego. (FOX5 San Diego KSWB)
California officials warned that weekend heat would affect inland areas of San Diego, and the National Weather Service issued a heat warning for parts of Southern California through Sunday.
“Obviously, this is a very painful time for family and friends,” Meyer said. “It’s important that the community comes together and supports the family as they go through this traumatic time.”
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Meyer said the medical examiner’s office will conduct a death investigation to confirm the identity of the body.
