Teenage Hiker Found Dead on Mexico’s Third Highest Peak After Sending Video

Paolo Sánchez Carrasco, a 14-year-old hiking enthusiast, was found dead on the dormant Iztaccíhuatl volcano, Mexico’s third highest mountain, seven days after be was reported missing.

On July 16, the Mexico City Prosecutor’s Office activated an Amber Alert to locate Carrasco, who was reported last seen on July 12 in the Romero de Terreros neighborhood of Coyoacán.

The Attorney General’s Office reported that news of Carrasco’s disappearance was received the same day, describing Carrasco as a 14-year-old boy, thin, with wavy brown hair and medium-brown eyes, wearing black pants, brown boots, a red and blue balaclava, a blue jacket, and a black backpack.

One of his friends, Valentín García, shared the last video Carrasco sent on the day he disappeared on Facebook to a Mexico City hiking group, hoping someone may have seen him.

“I am one of Paolo’s friends! Unfortunately, this video was the last video he shared on the day he disappeared. He sent it at approximately 11:30 p.m.-12:00 p.m. on Saturday, without any accompanying text,” García posted to the social media platform.

“It seems that the video was sent earlier and only when he had signal again was it automatically sent,” García wrote.

In the video, Carrasco appears visibly worried and dizzy, saying that he is far from shelter and does not have a sleeping bag to face the mountain weather.

“I’m going to talk about two really [bad] things that are going to happen to me tonight,” Carrasco began. “One: It turns out that the temperature here drops to minus 2 degrees at night and so (…) I’m going to freeze, I don’t even have a sleeping bag and I’m a long way from the shelter, and the next shelter is on the other side of the mountain.”

On Saturday, July 19, the Mexican Alpine Rescue Brigade (BRSAM) began searching for Carrasco on the Iztaccíhuatl volcano in the morning, they reported on Facebook. However, in the afternoon, they confirmed the young man’s unfortunate death, ending the search and rescue.

“At BRSAM, we recognize the dedication and courage of our team members, and we thank them for their work in locating Paolo,” the brigade wrote on July 20, the day they were able to recover the teenager’s remains. “We also recognize the efforts of all the institutions and rescue workers who participated.”

Temperatures on the extinct volcano Iztaccíhuatl, also known as “the sleeping woman” and located next to the active volcano Popocatépetl, usually ranges from -5 to 15°C (23 to 59°F), although when there is heavy snowfall, it can drop to -20°C (-4°F), according to the High Guiding website.

The website recommends traveling to the famous mountain in central Mexico, whose highest peak is 5,215 meters (17,110 feet) above sea level, with a guide and the necessary equipment and supplies for a safe journey.