After spending 17 days lost in Maui's dense forest, a hiker has been found alive and in remarkably good condition. Amanda Eller vanished while hiking in the Makawao Forest Reserve on May 8th and remained lost for over two weeks, according to the Maui News. Search and rescue crews scoured the area by land and air until the fire department suspended their search on the 12th.
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Undeterred by the lack of material support from local authorities, volunteers continued searching. The effort drew an average of 100 volunteers per day, and utilized drones, dogs, divers, hunters, and helicopters. Searchers were unsuccessful for nearly two weeks until a GoFundMe-funded helicopter spotted Eller in a ravine on Friday, May 24th. She was immediately airlifted to the hospital, but was found to be in remarkably good shape. Other than extreme overexposure to the sun and some welts, cuts, and bruises, her only major injury was a fractured tibia. She was released from the hospital on Sunday, May 26th, and gave a press conference the following Tuesday.
About The Author
stash member Zack Skovron
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, now living in Jackson, WY. I’m an avid skier, biker, hiker, climber, and fisherman. Outside of sports, my major interests focus on public policy surrounding land use and energy systems.