Naugatuck Man Dies Hiking New Hampshire's Mt. Washington

NAUGATUCK, CT — A 66-year-old Naugatuck man collapsed and died Saturday afternoon while hiking with his three sons along Jewell Trail as they tried to summit Mount Washington in northern New Hampshire, according to the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department.

The man's identity has not been released pending notification of extended family, officials said. He collapsed at about 12:15 p.m. in Thompson & Meserve's Purchase, a township in the Mount Washington area, more than 2 miles up from the Base Station parking lot.

"His sons immediately started CPR and called 911," officials said in a statement on the department's Facebook page (see below). "Fish & Game Conservation Officers were alerted to the emergency and started the rescue response.

"Due to the nature of the medical emergency, air support was requested from the Army National Guard unit in Concord. They responded by scrambling a crew as quickly as possible, getting a Blackhawk helicopter in the air and flying north from Concord."

The helicopter crew arrived about two-and-half hours after the collapse, but they were unable to reach the area on the Jewell Trail due to the low and thick cloud cover, according to officials.

"Conservation Officers on scene attempted to guide the helicopter in to the hiker, but the thick cloud cover and lack of visibility prevented them getting close enough. After several attempts, the helicopter was getting low on fuel so had to fly to the Berlin Airport to refuel," officials said.

At that point, additional help was called in from Androscoggin Valley Search & Rescue and Pemigewasset Search & Rescue because officials thought the victim would have to be carried out, but the cloud cover eventually cleared allowing for an air rescue.

The hiker was placed in a litter that was lowered from the helicopter as it hovered above, and he was hoisted up into the aircraft using a winch.

"Unfortunately, despite all the exhaustive efforts by the hikers sons who [provided] constant and tireless resuscitation efforts for over 2 ½ hours and the arrival of the National Guard helicopter, the hiker did not survive," officials said.