A woman from California who had been lost for 12 days was found alive but “severely dehydrated and emaciated,” according to the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.
Esmeralda Marie Pineda, 24, was found on Friday at the top of a river tunnel near the Yuba River, which is north of Sacramento. She was saved, according to the sheriff’s office.
Pineda needed medical help right away, so the California Highway Patrol flew him out of the canyon and took him to a hospital for care.
The last time Pineda was seen was at a mine claim camp in Nevada City, California, on August 26. The sheriff’s office said she was reported missing on that date.
To find her, skilled Nevada County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers had to rappel in and out of the canyon. But the area was “treacherous.”
“The Sheriff’s Office and our search and rescue volunteers covered extensive ground throughout our search, and we are thankful today to find her alive,” said NCSO Sgt. Dustin Moe.
No one knows how bad her health and injuries are.