Photo: Ventura County Sheriff's Office
A group of teenage hikers got lost while hiking the trails of Santa Paula Canyon in Los Padres National Forest and had to be rescued. The group of ten teens, who were between 16 and 18, were not prepared for the hike and found themselves lost in the wilderness as the sun was setting.
Luckily, one of the teens had an iPhone and used the Emergency SOS feature to contact the Ventura County Sheriff's Dispatch for help. The Upper Ojai Search and Rescue Team was dispatched to locate the teens. A team of 13 rescuers hiked over four miles in the dark to find the group. Thanks to the SOS feature, the rescuers knew where to go and were able to find them after nearly three hours.
"Most of the hikers were not prepared for the hike and were provided with food, drinking water, and lighting equipment as they were led out to the Santa Paula Canyon Trailhead," the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
Deputy Mackenzie Spears of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office told NBC News the teens were wearing shorts and t-shirts and did not have food, water, or lighting equipment.
None of the teens needed medical aid and were reunited with their parents after hiking back to the start of the trail.