Search and rescue teams continued to scour Ohiopyle State Park on Thursday for a man who has been missing since Monday.
Relatives of the 29-year-old man, who officials would not name, reported him missing around 11 a.m. Wednesday after they discovered his car in a parking lot at the state park, assistant park manager Stacie Hall said.
“They were concerned because they had not heard from him since New Year's Eve and knew he was at Ohiopyle and came here looking for him,” Hall said.
The search was suspended Wednesday at nightfall and resumed Thursday morning.
Search teams looked for the man until dark Thursday and planned to resume Friday morning, Hall said.
Search personnel have spent the nighttime hours planning the search of the 20,500-acre park for the next day.
“All we know for sure is his starting point at his vehicle,” Hall said.
She said search teams are investigating the man's travel plans and using his age, physical condition, and activity history to determine likely areas of the park where he might be found.
“He has been here before, so he has a vague familiarity with the area,” she added.
The searchers, numbering as many as 40 on the ground at a time, include Ohiopyle State Park staff, Forbes State Forest personnel, the Fayette County Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue Team, Appalachian Mountain Rescue, the Ohiopyle-Stewart and South Connellsville volunteer fire departments and several dog teams, Hall said.
Jennifer Reeger is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-836-6155 or jreeger@tribweb.com.
