Deaf and Mute Hiker Rescued at Malibu Canyon

A deaf and mute Fullerton resident was in the hospital Wednesday morning following a rescue that took place after he was stranded on a ledge during a hike at Malibu Canyon.

Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Detective Matthew Dunn said Woo Lee, 25, was hiking with a group Tuesday at 9 p.m. when he became stranded on a 15-foot ledge located 300 feet below Malibu Canyon Road and 400 feet above the canyon floor.

The sheriff's Malibu Search & Rescue team was called to the scene. The team was unable to communicate with Lee during the rescue because he cannot hear or speak. Lee was safely removed around 1 a.m.

Due to the communication barrier, rescuers could not determine the full extent of Lee's injuries, Dunn said. He was flown to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he was treated for multiple lacerations.