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Lost Hiker Found After Four Nights At Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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Published Date

July 31, 2019

A 58-year-old New Jersey man who spent four nights lost in the backcountry of Great Smoky Mountains National Park was found Wednesday afternoon and reported to be in good condition.

Kevin Mark Lynch, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, went missing Saturday. Lynch, said to suffer slightly from dementia, was found alert and responsive just before 4:30 p.m. local time not far rom the Catloochee Divide Trail. He was last seen Saturday afternoon walking along the park boundary at the Swag resort in Haywood County, North Carolina. 

Searchers earlier Wednesday afternoon discovered the first significant leads in their efforts to find Lynch when his hat and pair of sunglasses were found about 1,600 feet southeast of the Cataloochee Divide trail. Shortly after, a second grid search team, found what appeared to be fresh footprints leading toward the Ferguson Cabin, park staff reported.

Search efforts were then consolidated and redirected to the areas adjacent to where the clues were discovered. Within a few hours, Lynch was discovered after he responded to searcher’s yells. The man was only three-quarters of a mile from the point last seen.

Lynch was transported by Haywood County EMS to Haywood Regional Medical Center for assessment where he will be reunited with his family, who had gathered near the command center daily since his disappearance.

“From the moment we learned of Lynch’s disappearance, Haywood County Emergency Management and National Park Service staff worked quickly to take an aggressive and proactive approach with search tactics due to the dire circumstances surrounding Lynch’s health condition,” said Great Smoky Mountains Chief Ranger Lisa Hendy. "The successful utilization of a joint command structure was definitely a contributing factor to the success of this operation. We cannot thank all of the agencies who supported this effort enough for their dedicated commitment to bringing Mr. Lynch home safely to his family.”

At times more than 200 were involved in the search mission, aided by helicopters and dog teams.

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