US hiker disappears in Spanish Pyrenees mountains sparking frantic search
Cole Henderson, 27, vanished nine days ago in the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park in northern Spain long the country's border with France.
The last time anyone heard from the Rhodes College alumni was on July 9 around 2pm, just before he embarked on his precipitous solo hike.
He texted his friend that he parked his car in Torla, the town near the entrance of the national park.
Henderson noted he was going to put his phone on airplane mode to save its battery before starting his mountainous trek, according to a statement from his friend, Max Senoff.
Henderson was believed to have been wearing a bright orange backpack when he went missing.
His phone's last ping was in Torla, likely because this is where he turned on airplane mode.
His loved ones realized something was wrong when he never boarded his return flight to the Netherlands, where he had been living and working, on July 12.
Henderson was officially reported missing on July 14, sparking a rampant search for the lone traveler the same day.
Rescue teams and Air Service helicopters have been scouring the area, looking for signs of the man, who is believed to have been hiking up Mount Perdido, according to The New York Times.
His car was also found in Torla, as he told his friend.
Mount Perdido is the third highest peak in the Pyrenees. The hike up the mountain is known to be a strenuous one, but is typically able to be completed in a day.
Senoff told the New York Times at the time Henderson disappeared, he was approaching the end of his Spain vacation and was previously visiting Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls Festival.
He described Henderson as an avid traveler and a meticulous planner, having shared his Spain trip itinerary with his friends before he left.
'He is great at bringing people together and very social guy,' Senoff told the outlet.
A website has been established, detailing the latest updates in the search for Henderson.
On social media, his friends and family members have been sharing photos of the frequent tourist.
'My nephew, Cole Henderson, a 27-year-old American, has gone missing while hiking in the Pyrenees,' his aunt, Lisa Henderson, shared on Facebook.
'Search efforts are underway, but we're desperate to spread the word. If you or someone you know is in the area—or recently hiked near Ordesa—please share this or reach out with any info. Even the smallest detail could help.'
It is unclear when Henderson moved to the Netherlands, but based on his social media pages, he went to high school in Delaware and studied computer science at Rhodes College, which is in Tennessee.
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