Pitkin County coroner Dr. Steve Ayers told the Aspen Daily News that there apparently was a lightning strike there, and Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office originally thought lightning caused their deaths.
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Authorities say lightning might have killed a Colorado Springs father and son whose bodies were found in a tent near Aspen. The Aspen Times reports that the deceased were father and son; a 12-year-old daughter and another son believed to be 8 or 9 were staying in a separate tent and were not injured, according to the paper.
Two other children were unharmed and they were walking toward the Maroon Bells parking lot on their own. That group of campers walked the two children out of the wilderness.
A Flight For Life helicopter arrived at the campsite at almost 11,000 feet, where they discovered the bodies of an adult male and a juvenile male still in their tent. They were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
Rescuers recovered the two bodies Wednesday afternoon and the coroner will determine the official cause of death after autopsies.
Pinpoint Weather Chief Meteorologist Dave Fraser said radar indicated some lightning hit the Maroon Bells area at about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday.
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The names, ages and hometowns of the individuals were not released Wednesday pending notification of next of kin, the statement says.
