By Heather Clark
The Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A lost hiker who was killed during her rescue in a New Mexico helicopter crash last week called 911 about seven times, but the calls were initially routed to non-emergency lines that weren’t equipped to pinpoint her location.
That’s according to Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano, who said Wednesday the matter is being investigated.
Megumi Yamamoto repeatedly dialed 911 after getting lost in the Sangre de Cristo mountains.
Solano says dispatchers asked her to call several times as they tried to get the calls to connect with 911 equipment that uses GPS coordinates to determine her position so rescuers could reach her more quickly.
Hours later, she and State Police Sgt. Andy Tingwall were killed when the rescue helicopter crashed in stormy weather the night of June 9.