Latest news with #ElaineMcKinley
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Search effort continues for missing 79-year-old hiker in San Mateo County
SAN MATEO, Calif. - Additional search teams will assist in the continuing effort to locate a hiker who went missing in a San Mateo County open-preserve on May 1. What we know On Friday, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said additional personnel will be deployed this weekend to search for 79-year-old Elaine McKinley. McKinley, who suffers from dementia, became separated from a group of hikers while they were in Portola Valley's Windy Hill Open Space Preserve. Last week, after six days of searching, sheriff's officials scaled the effort back to a limited phase, but assured the search will continue indefinitely or until the woman is found. Now, through a mutual aid request, nearly 100 specially trained search and rescue volunteers from across the region will canvass the area in a coordinated operation, sheriff's officials said. The search effort will continue to use drones, horses and specialized K-9 teams. The sheriff's office also wants to alert the public about the increased law enforcement presence around the preserve this weekend. The parking lot off of Portola Road will be closed to the public Friday through Sunday afternoon. However, the preserve will remain open and accessible through the Skyline Boulevard entrance. There have been no confirmed sightings of McKinley since her disappearance.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Search effort scaling back for missing 79-year-old hiker with dementia
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways PORTOLA VALLEY, Calif. - The search for a missing 79-year-old hiker, in a Peninsula open-space preserve, has entered its sixth day on Tuesday. Sheriff's officials say the search effort has shifted to a limited phase. Scaling back What we know Elaine McKinley became separated from a group of hikers last Thursday while they were at Portola Valley's Windy Hill Open Space Preserve. McKinley suffers from dementia. Officials with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said on day six of the search, that while the search continues, at sunset, the search transitions to a "limited continuous search phase." The decision was made in accordance with best practice regarding search and rescue efforts, the sheriff's office said. They explained the phase means the search continues "indefinitely or until the missing person is located, but with resources that are scaled down compared to the initial, more intense phase." The sheriff's office, partner agencies and more than 500 specialized search and rescue volunteers have been searching for the woman since she went missing. Officials said despite exhaustive efforts there have been no confirmed sightings of the missing hiker. The search will now scale back to 80 search and rescue personnel, in addition to personnel from the sheriff's office. The backstory McKinley was last seen on May 1 along the Lost Trail in the preserve, officials said. Search teams are equipped with drones, horses, tracking and trailing K-9s, off-road bikes and motorcycles, planes and specialized mapping software, the sheriff's office said. Teams continue to make an effort to search the accessible terrain. A photo of McKinley was shared, depicting the missing woman wearing what she had on when she was last seen. She was wearing a red zip-up jacket. On Monday, the missing woman's younger sister told KTVU she was in disbelief. She described her sister as humble, but strong and determined as well as someone who had worked in health care. People involved in the search effort have come from as far as Yolo, Placer, Butte and Nevada counties.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
Family tries to stay hopeful as search for missing 79-year old hiker in Portola Valley enters Day Five
The Brief The search for the missing hiker with dementia entered its 5th day on Monday. 79-year-old Elaine McKinley became separated from her group Thursday while hiking in Portola Valley. About 60 volunteers, down from 150 over the weekend, took to the trails to help search for the missing woman. PORTOLA VALLEY, Calif. - This is day five in the search for Elaine McKinley. The 79-year-old suffers from Alzheimer's disease and got separated from her group Thursday while hiking Portola Valley's Windy Hill Open Space Preserve. Her sister says she's in disbelief. "Elaine is the person who saves others. Elaine would be mortified that all of this was going on for her. She is humble and she is damn near perfect," says Kelley McKinley, Elaine's younger sister. Elaine had been in the Peace Corps, and was a health worker. Loved ones call her a force to be reckoned with. But now the fear is settling in. "We're worried and scared for Elaine. And very worried if she's suffering from injuries. But we're also hopeful because there are so many people looking for her," says friend Iris Biblowitz. About 60 volunteer searchers took to the trails today, down from 150 over the weekend. They've come from as far away as Butte and Nevada County. Their movements are carefully tracked by a special app to make sure they leave no stone unturned. "We're trying to cover every square inch we can. But you'd be amazed: when a person is down or even in the woods just hunkering down and surviving, it can be very hard to see them in dense brush," says Ray Kruck with San Mateo County Search and Rescue. So today they're focused on access, trying to get into some of those hidden spots. They've got six K-9 teams on the ground, drones overhead, as well as some extra tools. "Our volunteers have brought out chainsaws to help us clear some of the dense brush," says Sgt. Philip Hallworth with the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. Searchers say they're as motivated today as they were on day one. They say they won't give ones say Elaine isn't the type to give up either. "She is strong, she is determined. She is going forward wherever she is right now. She's moving forward. She doesn't give up. No she does not," says Kelley McKinley. Searchers plan to be back out in Windy Hill Preserve on Tuesday.
