Sheriff’s office and search and rescue gave statements on death of Sundial trail hiker
Jul 6, 2024, 9:47 AM
The body of a hiker who went missing on Sunday was found and recovered on Monday. (Salt Lake County Sheriffs Search and Rescue)
(Salt Lake County Sheriffs Search and Rescue)
SALT LAKE CITY — The body of a hiker was found and recovered near the Summit of Sundial trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Monday.
In a press release, Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the hiker was identified as 80-year-old Mohammad Abdullah.
Abdullah was reported to be missing after failing to return home from a 6 a.m. hike on Sunday. Abdullah’s wife reported him missing at 10 p.m. on that same day. After the report was made, a search and rescue team immediately started looking for Abdullah.
The Department of Public Safety was able to find Abdullah on Monday at 9:30 a.m., using a helicopter. According to the press release, Abullah “fell over 200 feet from the Sundial trail.”
“We are deeply saddened to report that the missing hiker had already passed when we found him,” Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue said in a Facebook post. “We brought him down the mountain to his awaiting loved ones.”
Search and rescue crews were able to recover Abdullah’s body at 11:30 a.m. that day, according to the press release.
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy, and our hearts go out to Mr. Abdullah’s family during this difficult time,” SLCSO Sheriff Rosie Rivera said in the press release.
Abdullah was called an experienced hiker by the sheriff’s office in the press release. The SLCSR wants to remind the public to be prepared and to use caution when outdoors.
