UPDATE: An autopsy on the climber who died over the weekend has shown the man died from a massive bee attack, according to the county medical examiner.
MOUNT HOPKINS - A Tucson man was found dead in the Santa Rita Mountains hanging off a cliff from his climbing gear on Monday. He had been missing since Friday.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputies responded to the call just after 5pm Monday when Steven Johnson, 55, who is an experienced climber, did not show up to work.
Johnson was working an area of Mount Hopkins to prepare it for future climbers. He had his dog with him.
A spokesman with the sheriff's office told News 4 Tucson that a friend saw a posting on Facebook asking about Johnson's whereabouts, which ultimately led them to Johnson. However both Johnson and his dog were dead by the time search and rescue teams reached them.
While the cause of death has not been determined just yet, sheriff's deputies told News 4 Tucson that Johnson was covered with bee stings when he was found.
Johnson is described as a father, climber and friend, who was well-liked throughout the climbing community in Southern Arizona.
"It's devastating news for the Tucson community, for sure, he was a very prolific climber in Tucson," said John Mavko, who works at Rocks & Ropes, a climbing facility frequented by Johnson.
Honeymooner killed by shark with wife on beach
Victim is third surfer fatally attacked in past two years at Reunion Island
A French surfer on his honeymoon was fatally attacked by a shark Wednesday at Reunion Island, while his wife was nearby on the beach.
The attack occurred at Brisants de Saint-Gilles, a popular surf spot on the west shore of the French-owned island. This marks the first fatal shark attack of the year on Reunion Island, but the third during the past two years.
Lifeguards pulled the 36-year-old surfer to shore after he was charged at least twice by the shark, but he had lost lots of blood and had gone into cardiac and respiratory arrest. He could not be revived.
Agence France-Presse is reporting that the unidentified surfer was bitten on the arm and thigh, and that his wife was being treated for shock.
Last summer two shark attacks, one of them resulting in a fatality, occurred just days apart at Reunion Island, which is located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar.
Sky News reports that after those attacks, surfers called for the closure of a vast marine reserve, which they blamed for an increase in shark encounters. Surfers were critical of the local government for not doing enough to protect swimmers and surfers.
Several studies are underway involving sharks in the area.
The honeymooning couple is from Morteau in eastern France. The species of shark implicated in Wednesday’s attack is not known
Generic image shows surfer riding a wave at Reunion Island. Tiger shark image below, courtesy of Wikipedia, also is generic
Lifeguards pulled the 36-year-old surfer to shore after he was charged at least twice by the shark, but he had lost lots of blood and had gone into cardiac and respiratory arrest. He could not be revived.
Agence France-Presse is reporting that the unidentified surfer was bitten on the arm and thigh, and that his wife was being treated for shock.
Last summer two shark attacks, one of them resulting in a fatality, occurred just days apart at Reunion Island, which is located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar.
Several studies are underway involving sharks in the area.
The honeymooning couple is from Morteau in eastern France. The species of shark implicated in Wednesday’s attack is not known