Hiker rescued after getting trapped in quicksand at US national park

WorldTravel
13 Dec 2025 • 9:25 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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An experienced hiker had to be rescued after they became stuck in quicksand for hours at Utah’s Arches National Park.

Earlier this month Austin Dirks, who has hiked thousands of miles, was traversing a small canyon when he suddenly broke through the ground, causing him to sink up to his knee.

Dirks, who was trapped in the quicksand in -7C for two hours, used a GPS satellite messenger to alert rescuers to his exact location.

After locating Dirks using a drone, rescuers used a ladder, shovels and vehicle traction boards were used to extract the hiker without getting stuck themselves.

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