After a busy Labor Day weekend at Yellowstone National Park, Park spokesman Al Nash says the number of Search and Rescue operations in the park this year has grown to over 35.

"Well, we've had about 15 major search and rescue operations and very roughly about 20 minor search and rescue efforts. We see, on average, oh between 50 and 55 such events during the course of the year. We're about on track for an average year."

Despite a strong record of finding lost visitors, this year has also had its fair share of tragedy.

"The most typical scenario for us is someone who has been out on trail and is overdue or has had some kind of an injury. We have had a couple of instances where our search and rescue efforts have had to deal with visitor fatalities. We've had three visitors or employees who have died accidentally in the park this year."

There were two deaths in the month of August alone. So far this year, a man has been killed by a falling tree, a little girl has slipped to her death while hiking to a waterfall and a park employee has committed suicide.

 

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