Ventura County emergency crews had to rescue a hiker who suffered “traumatic injuries” on Saturday.
The unidentified victim was injured in the popular Punch Bowl area about 10 miles west of Ojai, was wounded over 200 feet by helicopter and had to be taken to a local hospital, authorities said.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department did not specify how the person was hurt or explain the extent of the injury. However, Punch Bowl has long been known as an area for adventurous hikers to dive into the cool waters of Santa Paula Creek. Diving can be refreshing, but the sheriff’s director said he responds to numerous reports of punch bowl injuries each year, including fractures, broken skulls and drowsing. Occasionally, these injuries prove fatal.
“The Ventura County Aviation Unit encourages us to explore our beautiful backcountry, but we want to remind you of all the potential risks of injuries in these remote locations and the extreme difficulty of these rescues,” the Sheriff’s department said in an Instagram post.
