Dad, Toddler Rappelling on Same Rope Fall 80 Feet

An Arizona family outing in the Virgin River Gorge turned harrowing when a father and his 1-year-old child plunged roughly 80 feet while rappelling, officials say. The pair were on the same rope near the Ghost Valley Trailhead on Saturday when they fell; rescuers needed about three hours to extricate them from the remote location, per a Facebook post from the Beaver Dam/Littlefield Fire Department.

Authorities say the father suffered serious injuries, while the child was left with relatively minor ones. Both were hospitalized; officials said Wednesday they had no update on the father's condition, reports People. ABC4 reports the mother was reportedly holding the rope the father and child were using when they fell and suffered hand injuries. Investigators are still working to determine what went wrong and urged people to be cautious when venturing into remote areas or taking part in rappelling and similar activities.