Video: Mich. State Troopers Battle Dense Forest, Rain to Rescue Missing Survival Contestant
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A 36-year-old California woman was found safe after going missing for 18 hours during a survival challenge for a YouTube channel in Pigeon River Country State Forest.
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A Michigan State Police helicopter located her in a swampy, densely wooded area and guided troopers to the site.
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Troopers and other first responders faced rugged terrain and severe storm damage but were able to rescue her without serious injuries.
Source mlive.com
OTSEGO COUNTY, MI—Find and extracting a missing California woman from a dense Northern Michigan forest was not an easy task, rescuers told WPBN/WGTU.
The 36-year-old woman went missing over the weekend in the Pigeon River Country State Forest where she was participating in an outdoor survival challenge hosted a YouTube channel, MLive previously reported.
She left camp to find water Friday afternoon and did not return, authorities said. Contest hosts searched for her and eventually notified authorities. A Michigan State Police helicopter located the missing woman deep in a swampy area and directed ground officers to her location.
MSP Trooper Jeffrey Turnquist, of the K9 unit, said the terrain was extremely rugged and densely wooded, he told the TV station. Damage from the ice storm that hit Northern Michigan in March is still evident and made some areas almost impassable, he said. Plus, it was raining.
“There were times [when] we were crawling on our hands and knees to get through certain parts of the woods,” he said.
The woman was able to walk out under her own power and was evaluated by EMS on scene before being released with no serious injuries, police said. She had been lost for 18 hours.
Police said the successful outcome was made possible by the combined efforts and dedication of the local first responders and partner agencies.
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