By News-Register staff • 

Missing man found safe in rural Yamhill County

Submitted photo##This helicopter spottedthe missing Washington state man, north of Grand Ronde Tudesday, and transported him to the Willamette Valley Medical Center.
Submitted photo##This helicopter spottedthe missing Washington state man, north of Grand Ronde Tudesday, and transported him to the Willamette Valley Medical Center.

Following an extensive search, Yamhill County Sheriff's Office "special deputy" Dean Danchuck, a helicopter pilot, located a missing 73-year-old Washington state man, Sang Kwon Sa, about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday in a field seven miles north of Grand Ronde.

Danchuck and his spotter, Rich Ashenbrenner, spotted Sa lying down in a field about 2 1/2 miles from where he was last seen while collecting plants with family members off Wind River Road.

Search and rescue teams from multiple agencies had been looking for Sa since he was reported missing about 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

A private helicopter unmanned aerial drones, ground searchers, ATV units, search dogs and about 100 volunteers from surrounding counties joined in the search effort.

"This search was truly an all hands on deck effort," Sheriff Tim Svenson said. "The cooperation of the workers and volunteers resulted in a life being saved. You can't ask for anything better."

This was Danchuck’s second helicopter deployment on this specific search.  On Monday, he flew for five hours but the effort was unsuccessful.

He expanded his search on Tuesday and eventually spotted Sa. The pilot and his spotter loaded Sa into the helicopter and flew him directly to the Willamette Valley Medical Center for treatment.

In addition to the sheriff's office, the following agencies participated in the search:

Polk County, Washington County, Marion County, Benton County and Tillamook county sheriff's offices and their search and rescue teams, Mary's Peak Search and Rescue, Mary’s Peak SAR, K9 teams and support personnel from Region 3, Oregon Man Trackers Association, Grand Ronde Tribal police and fire departments and the Grand Ronde Natural Resources Department which General Manager Dave Fullerton oversees.

 

Comments

oldeee

Great effort and outcome, guys and gals.

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