Rescue team saves teen who fell 70 feet into the Grand Canyon

PHOENIX — A 13-year-old boy fell at least 70 feet into the Grand Canyon on Tuesday, according to the National Park Service.

He fell over the edge of the North Rim, from 70 to 100 feet below Bright Angel Point, the National Park Service announced on Friday.

The trail is “exposed, narrow and surprisingly steep,” the announcement said.

The park’s search and rescue team set up a rope rescue and raised the teen safely to the rim, the announcement said.

Officials flew him to a pediatric trauma center, where he is currently recovering.

Grand Canyon National Park Preventative Search and Rescue Supervisor Meghan Smith said the team’s training paid off.

“I can say with great confidence that they put to use advanced medical skills in an austere environment that are rarely executed in most other places,” she said in a statement.

The team rescues around 300 people from the Grand Canyon each year, the announcement said.

“It’s clear that their training and hard work paid off, leading to a smooth, timely operation that will no doubt lead to better outcomes for this patient,” Smith said.