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UPI
12 hours ago
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- UPI
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.
15 hours ago
Officials find the body of a woman who got off a cruise ship to hike, didn't return
JUNEAU, Alaska -- Authorities say they have found the body of a woman visiting Alaska's capital city who did not return to her cruise ship from a hike she said she was taking. The Alaska Department of Public Safety said the body of 62-year-old Marites Buenafe of Kentucky was found by an Alaska Army National Guard helicopter crew late Thursday below the ridge line of Gold Ridge. Troopers and Juneau Mountain Rescue were able to recover the body with help from Temsco Helicopters and the National Guard. Her next of kin have been notified, and her body will be sent to the state medical examiner's office for autopsy. The Juneau Police Department received a report Tuesday afternoon that the woman, who told relatives that morning that she was getting off the Norwegian Bliss to hike, had not returned to the vessel by its departure time.
a day ago
Search ongoing for cruise ship passenger who didn't return from Alaska hike: Police
A search is ongoing for a 62-year-old cruise passenger who went missing while on a hike in Alaska, authorities said Thursday. Marites Buenafe, of Kentucky, was reported missing Tuesday, a day after her birthday, when she did not return to the cruise ship Norwegian Bliss, according to the Alaska State Troopers. That morning, she had texted her family "stating she was heading up Mount Roberts Tramway and then planned to hike Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak," the Alaska State Troopers stated in a missing person bulletin. Buenafe was captured on security footage at the top of Mount Roberts Tramway at about 7:30 a.m. local time Tuesday, troopers said. She was reported missing to local state troopers Tuesday afternoon when she did not return to the ship by the all-aboard time while docked in Juneau, a Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson said. Rescue crews have conducted a ground search, and the aerial search has included thermal drones and helicopters, troopers said. On Wednesday, over a dozen professional volunteers from Juneau Mountain Rescue and SEADOGS joined state troopers and Juneau police officers "for an extensive search using drones, K-9s, and ground teams, with no signs of Marites," Alaska State Troopers said in a dispatch. "Weather conditions allowed limited helicopter searches late in the day," it added. The ground and aerial search is ongoing Thursday, troopers said. Norwegian Cruise Line is "providing assistance to local authorities as appropriate" amid the search, the spokesperson said, adding, "Our CARE team is providing support to the guest's family and our thoughts are with them during this difficult time." Buenafe is 5 feet tall and weighs 118 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, troopers said. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the Alaska State Troopers in Juneau at 907-465-4000 and reference incident AK25063914.
