Andrew Devers missing hiker who disappeared along Washington State’s North Bend found alive. Survived off berries & river water for 8 days.
A hiker who disappeared in the wilderness of Washington state earlier this month has been found alive, having survived for eight days on berries and river water, authorities said Sunday.
Andrew Devers, 25, failed to return from a hike that originated from the Middle Fork Campground in North Bend on June 18, the King County Sheriff’s Office said.
Devers’ friends reported him overdue on June 21, prompting the sheriff’s office and volunteers to launch a search operation for the hiker.
But as the effort stretched into the week with no sign of Devers, officials suspended the search, according to the Seattle Times.
On Sunday, a trail runner near the Middle Fork Trailhead spotted Devers, the sheriff’s office said.
Hikers issued warning
‘We’re obviously very glad that he was found,’ King County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Tim Meyer told the Seattle Times. ‘Certainly the favorable weather this week helped.’
He was brought to a local hospital for evaluation. Authorities said he had survived on berries and river water.
Devers reportedly disappeared June 18, but was not reported missing for four days, according to KIMA.
At that point, his girlfriend, Krysteena Mann, posted about his disappearance on the Missing People in Washington State Facebook group, writing: ‘The Sheriff has informed me of posting in local social media groups for any more potential leads or if anyone spotted him on the trail.’
Devers’ disappearance came as a record-breaking heat wave swept the north-west region. The Friday he disappeared, North Bend faced a high of just 74 degrees, according to AccuWeather, but by the next Monday, temperatures reached 90.
Over the weekend, temperatures soared past 100 degrees, and Sunday reached a high of 103.
Washington officials warned people against hiking in such extreme weather, telling KIMA that the heat may cause dizziness, headaches, cramping and confusion, which could make falls and slips more likely.
Jennifer Brenes, the president of the King County Search and Rescue Association, said the organization had responded to 10 calls of hikers needing help of some kind as of June 24. Last year, she said, the association responded to a total of 227 calls.
It remained unclear how Devers came to seemingly become disorientated before eventually being found.
