Missing South Carolina hikers found safe along North Carolina border
Two teens who went missing while hiking at Jones Gap State Park in South Carolina overnight were found Monday morning, according to multiple reports.
Rescuers said a 19-year-old woman and an 18-year-old man went missing Sunday in the mountain park along the North Carolina border, WYFF reports.
Firefighters said the teens found power lines and were able to follow them out of the wilderness area, Fox Carolina reports.
The pair, both students at Bob Jones University, were nine miles from where they started when they found their way to a mountain retreat center near the park, according to WYFF.
“Rescue crews and thermal imaging from a drone were unsuccessful,” Cedar Mountain Fire Rescue said on Facebook.
The two were unprepared to spend the night in the woods and did not have water, food or flashlights, according to WYFF.
The pair originally started the hike with two other friends, who decided to go back to the car and meet the teens at the end of the trail, Fox Carolina reports.
Searchers planned to be back in the park looking for them starting at 8:30 a.m. Monday, WLOS reports.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office used drones Sunday night to help with the search, according to WLOS.
“Safety Tip: When hiking, it is important to be prepared for the unexpected. Food, water, flashlights and warm layers are especially important,” the volunteer Cedar Mountain Fire Rescue squad said on Facebook.
This story was originally published October 28, 2019 at 8:11 AM.
