A California man who was part of a search and rescue team looking for a missing hiker died during the operation. Timothy Staples, 32, was one of 126 people who were trying to locate 52-year-old Sreenivas "Sree" Mokkapati after he went missing while hiking on Mount Baldy on December 8.
Staples, who has been a "dedicated volunteer" with the sheriff's office for nine years, became separated from his team while searching the mountain. When his search partner reported he was missing, officials deployed a helicopter and found him trapped in "an area of ice and snow." By the time rescuers made it to his location, he was deceased.
"Our hearts are broken as we mourn the loss of our treasured family member, Tim Staples. Tim was the beloved husband of Katie Amrhein, and son of Dan and Barbara Staples. Tim was an exceptional human who gave his life serving others," Staples' family said in a statement released by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office.
The search for Mokkapati has been suspended and the sheriff's office said that any plans for future search operations "will be reevaluated."
Photo: San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office