ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST — One hiker died and four were injured Saturday after falling in the Angeles National Forest, authorities said.

The accident was reported about 11:30 a.m. in the mountains east of where Angeles Crest (2) Highway meets Highway 39, said Los Angeles County Fire Department Dispatch Supervisor Bernard Peters. The site is about 25 miles west-southwest of Wrightwood. A sheriff's department helicopter notified the fire department that five hikers were missing and there could be multiple critical injuries, Peters said.

The helicopter located one man who was rescued and treated, and went back to look for more after requesting fire department helicopters to join the search, Peters said. One man was found with minor injuries and hypothermia, a woman was found critically injured with head and neck injuries, one person was suffering chest pains and one person was dead at the scene, he said.

The injured hikers were taken to hospitals. Details about the dead hiker, including name and gender, were not available. Firefighters on the ground had difficulty reaching the site due to rain-damaged roads, Peters said.

By City News Service

