Arizona Hiker Stung by Bees More Than 100 Times

A Phoenix hiker's Saturday morning climb turned into a medical emergency after a massive bee attack forced a dramatic air rescue, NBC News reports. The man, near the summit of Lookout Mountain Preserve in north Phoenix, reported being stung more than 100 times and became unable to make his way back down, according to the Phoenix Fire Department. Several other hikers were attacked by the same swarm, KING 5 reports.

Rescue crews from Phoenix and Glendale used a hoist operation to lift him off the mountain and transfer him to an ambulance at the trailhead; he was taken to a hospital in critical condition. He was conscious and talking when rescuers arrived, but had dangerously low blood pressure. Fire officials later urged hikers to steer clear of hives, avoid wearing strong scents, and don light-colored clothing on the trails. If you suddenly find yourself in the middle of a swarm, their advice is simple: run, and shield your head and face. Africanized bees, which arrived in Arizona in the 1990s, are particularly aggressive, Fox 10 Phoenix reports.