Body of missing UK Healthcare employee Marites Buenafe found in Alaska, police say
Alaska Wildlife Troopers were notified July 1 when 62-year-old Marites Buenafe of Kentucky was overdue from a hike near Mount Roberts. Buenafe had departed a cruise ship that morning with plans to hike Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak, according to a press release from the Alaska State Troopers.
The Juneau Mountain Rescue started conducting a search operation to find Buenafe including an aerial search. The search efforts were paused overnight and resumed July 2 with the use of a dog team.
On July 3, the search continued, with dozens of troopers, dogs, volunteers and drones. Weather conditions limited the use of helicopter searches. Just before noon on July 3, "an Alaska Army National Guard helicopter crew located Marites' body approximately 1,700 feet below the ridge line of Gold Ridge," the press release stated.
The body of Marites was recovered and next of kin have been notified. Her body will be sent to a medical examiner for an autopsy.
Contact business reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter at @oliviamevans_.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Missing UK Healthcare employee's body found in Alaska, police say
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Body of hiking cruise passenger found in Alaska
July 4 (UPI) -- Rescuers in Alaska recovered the body of a 62-year-old woman who went on a hike in the mountains near Juneau after leaving the Norwegian Bliss cruise ship. Marites Buenafe, a medical doctor from Kentucky, was a passenger on the Norwegian Bliss, which was a seven-day round-trip from Seattle. Her body was found on Thursday, the Alaska Department of Public Safety State Troopers announced. Around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, she texted family members that she was going up going up Mount Roberts Tramway in Juneau and would hike from Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak, the troopers reported. Security footage showed Buenafe at the top of the tramway. The 4-mile hike is challenging and usually takes three hours, hiking website AllTrails states. The ship was scheduled to depart around 1:30 p.m. At around 3:15, Buenafe was reported missing. Juneau Mountain Rescue searched on the ground and used thermal drones to scan the area, the Alaska Department of Public Safety said. Also, an Alaska Wildlife Troopers helicopter and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter conducted aerial searches, the department said. The search continued Wednesday with more than a dozen professional volunteers, as well as Juneau police officers, Alaska state troopers and Juneau Mountain Rescue. Also utilized were drones and K-9s. Helicopter use was limited because of windy conditions. The search resumed Thursday. At 11:56 a.m., Alaska Army National Guard helicopter crew located Buenafe's body some approximately 1,700 feet below the ridge line of Gold Ridge, the Alaska Department of Public Safety said. Crews then recovered her body, which was taken to the state medical examiner's office for autopsy. Buenafe was listed on the University of Kentucky Healthcare system's website as a doctor. DPS spokesperson Austin McDaniel told KYES-TV it is important to inform somebody of hiking plans. "If you don't return on time, they can alert first responders, alert search and rescue teams, the troopers, so we can immediately begin formulating a plan and activating resources to help get you out of the field," McDaniel said.
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Body of hiking cruise passenger found in Alaska
July 4 (UPI) -- Rescuers in Alaska recovered the body of a 62-year-old woman who went on a hike in the mountains near Juneau after leaving the Norwegian Bliss cruise ship. Marites Buenafe, a medical doctor from Kentucky, was a passenger on the Norwegian Bliss, which was a seven-day round-trip from Seattle. Her body was found on Thursday, the Alaska Department of Public Safety State Troopers announced. Around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, she texted family members that she was going up going up Mount Roberts Tramway in Juneau and would hike from Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak, the troopers reported. Security footage showed Buenafe at the top of the tramway. The 4-mile hike is challenging and usually takes three hours, hiking website AllTrails states. The ship was scheduled to depart around 1:30 p.m. At around 3:15, Buenafe was reported missing. Juneau Mountain Rescue searched on the ground and used thermal drones to scan the area, the Alaska Department of Public Safety said. Also, an Alaska Wildlife Troopers helicopter and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter conducted aerial searches, the department said. The search continued Wednesday with more than a dozen professional volunteers, as well as Juneau police officers, Alaska state troopers and Juneau Mountain Rescue. Also utilized were drones and K-9s. Helicopter use was limited because of windy conditions. The search resumed Thursday. At 11:56 a.m., Alaska Army National Guard helicopter crew located Buenafe's body some approximately 1,700 feet below the ridge line of Gold Ridge, the Alaska Department of Public Safety said. Crews then recovered her body, which was taken to the state medical examiner's office for autopsy. Buenafe was listed on the University of Kentucky Healthcare system's website as a doctor. DPS spokesperson Austin McDaniel told KYES-TV it is important to inform somebody of hiking plans. "If you don't return on time, they can alert first responders, alert search and rescue teams, the troopers, so we can immediately begin formulating a plan and activating resources to help get you out of the field," McDaniel said.
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13 hours ago
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Body of missing UK Healthcare employee Marites Buenafe found in Alaska, police say
The body of a missing Kentucky woman and University of Kentucky Healthcare doctor was found July 3 in Alaska. Alaska Wildlife Troopers were notified July 1 when 62-year-old Marites Buenafe of Kentucky was overdue from a hike near Mount Roberts. Buenafe had departed a cruise ship that morning with plans to hike Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak, according to a press release from the Alaska State Troopers. The Juneau Mountain Rescue started conducting a search operation to find Buenafe including an aerial search. The search efforts were paused overnight and resumed July 2 with the use of a dog team. On July 3, the search continued, with dozens of troopers, dogs, volunteers and drones. Weather conditions limited the use of helicopter searches. Just before noon on July 3, "an Alaska Army National Guard helicopter crew located Marites' body approximately 1,700 feet below the ridge line of Gold Ridge," the press release stated. The body of Marites was recovered and next of kin have been notified. Her body will be sent to a medical examiner for an autopsy. Contact business reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@ or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter at @oliviamevans_. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Missing UK Healthcare employee's body found in Alaska, police say
