Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Hallucinating, vomiting and unable to stand, but guides refused water to dying trekker

"Dave is dead." The words came at the end of the second day of what was supposed to be a character-forming experience, a chance for 12 people to "experience the wilderness to the fullest".

Instead, the trek through the mountains and desert of Utah in the mid-western US left David Buschow, a fit 29-year-old US air force veteran and security guard from New York dehydrated and hallucinating, his eyes bulging and tongue swollen. Less than 10 hours after setting off from the group's overnight camp on the second day, Buschow collapsed and died.

According to the coroner's report, he died from "dehydration and electrolyte imbalance due to hiking in hot environmental temperatures with inadequate water and electrolyte replacement".

But, an inquiry has found, the three wilderness camp instructors accompanying the group did have water. They chose not to offer it to Buschow, preferring that he attempt to complete the day's task. Buschow died knowing he was just 100 yards from the spot where water had already been found.

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