Tragic last moments of 23-year-old recorded as he was dissolved in acid at a National Park
The tragic incident took place in Yellowstone National Park where the 23-year-old was hiking with his sister.
In a horrific event, that is likely one of the worst ways to die, Colin Scott had been visiting the Porkchop Geyser with his sister, Sable.
Ignoring warning signs, the pair wandered off the designated boardwalk to find a spot for an illegal swim.
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Sable filmed her brother as they left the safe path in search of a body of water to swim in.
She was still recording when Colin bent down by a hot spring to check the temperature but he slipped and fell in.
The boiling water of the spring reaches temperatures of 200 degrees fahrenheit under normal conditions.
Sable desperately tried to rescue Colin but with no phone signal and no way to retrieve him herself, she had no choice but to run to a nearby museum for help.
When she returned with park rangers, it was too late.
Parts of Colin’s head, torso and hands were floating in the hot spring as he’d been boiled alive.
The police report from 2016 states: “Due to the report of the individual not previously visible, a lack of movement, suspected extreme temperatures, and indications of several thermal burns, the subject was determined to be deceased.”
Due to an incoming storm, and the temperature of the hot spring rising to 212 degrees fahrenheit, it was impossible for the park rangers to retrieve Colin's body right away.
When they returned the following day, they arrived to find that his body had dissolved in the acidic waters overnight.
All that was left was his flip flops and his wallet.
The report continued: “The consensus among the rescue/recovery team … was that the extreme heat of the hot spring, coupled with its acidic nature, dissolved the remains.”
The video footage of the fatal incident recorded by Sable was never released to the public due to the disturbing nature and out of respect for the family, but it is kept on file by police.
Just weeks before his tragic death, Colin had graduated from Pacific University where he was described as “a top student, a wonderful person and a testament to all the values that Pacific University stands for”.
In a statement commemorating Colin, his family added that he was a “dedicated Christian, whose love for people stemmed from the love he felt from God”.
According to park officials, at least 22 people have lost their lives due to hot spring accidents at Yellowstone National Park since 1890.