Climber Who Disappeared For 2 Weeks In Kentucky Selamat After The SAR Team Heard Voice Asking For Help

TIM SAR found a man who had been reported missing for more than two weeks in Red River Gorge, a wilderness area with a steep cliff and steep terrain in Kentucky, USA./PHOTO via Facebook Wolfe County Search & Rescue Team

JAKARTA - Rescuers found a man who was reported missing more than two weeks ago in Red River Gorge, a wilderness area full of steep cliffs and steep terrain east of Kentucky, United States (US).

Rescuers call it "absolutely a miracle", the climber can last so long without food or water.

As reported by CBS News, Monday, July 22, searchers found 48-year-old Scott A. Hern on Saturday, July 20, near the cliff after hearing someone ask for help, according to the Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team.

Hern climbs in the area to find waterfalls, his family told searchers.

Hern was evacuated from a steep area by helicopter after a Wolfe County rescue team contacted the Kentucky State Police for help. Rescue teams posted videos and images of rescue operations on social media.

The search crew started an intensive search for Hern, who originated in Ohio, early last week, using sniffer dogs and extracting information from a daily book written by Hern about the location she wants to explore at Red River Gorge.

Rescuers wrote in social media posts that Hern's car had been on the counter in Gorge since July 6 and his family had not seen him since July 5.

The search crew returned to the area they had checked on Saturday and decided to move further north through the river.

They found traces of shoes and evidence of road sticks in areas frequented by pedestrians, Wolfe County rescuer said.

"We are persistent in the search, but hope fades," wrote the search team.

Rescue team member Eric Wolterman admitted that after not finding Hern after a few days, the team thought this would be a mission to close.

But when the team stopped to get back together, someone shouted a very vague voice, "said Wolterman.

"We paused and shouted 'Who is it?' Thinking it was another search team. I then heard a request for help.

Wolterman said he was the first person to get to Hern and he convinced the climber he was safe.

"He grabbed me and said 'thank you very much. Please help me.' I fell into tears, and hugged him tightly,' Wolterman said.

"I think it was the best hug in the life of both of us."

The post said Hern needed medical treatment after his rescue but no information on his health was available on Sunday, July 21 afternoon.

"It is a miracle that Mr. Hern was found after 14 days and 12 days without any food or water," said the rescue team.