Arizona crews rescued a man whose utility terrain vehicle rolled off a 200-foot cliff Monday night.
The Mohave County Sheriff's Search and Rescue crews responded around 10 p.m. Monday to the Hualapai Mountains, near Kingman.
The reporting party told officials her husband, 62-year-old Mark Matt, of Lake Havasu City, had not returned from traveling in their single-seater utility terrain vehicle Razor after leaving around 3:30 p.m.
Investigations determined that Matt may have gone on a trail off Hualapai Mountain Road at milepost 5. Crews had located tire tracks. At about 11:40 p.m., Matt was located pinned underneath his vehicle which had rolled off a 200-foot cliff.
A helicopter was not available due to the bad weather. Search and Rescue members conducted a rope rescue and hoisted Matt onto the trail where he was transported very slowly down the mountain to an awaiting ambulance. The rescue was performed in the pouring rain on slippery surfaces.
"It was raining, lightning all around us," said Mohave County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescuer Luis Vega. "The rocks were wet and slippery."
Matt suffered several severe lacerations to his face and head. He may have suffered from broken ribs along with head and neck injuries.
"He was very grateful," said Vega. "He thanked us all the way down he said, you saved my life."
