Missing hiker found alive! Teenager 'dehydrated and confused' after spending four days in deep Orange County canyon but friend is still lost

Nicholas Cendoya and Kyndall Jack went missing on Easter Sunday
He was found by another hiker last night and taken to hospital
But he was unable to answer questions about where Miss Jack might be
Search teams stepped up efforts last night with renewed hope of finding her

PUBLISHED: 04:51 EST, 4 April 2013 | UPDATED: 08:56 EST, 4 April 2013

One of two teenage hikers missing in Southern California's Cleveland National Forest has been found alive, but there is no sign of his missing companion.

Nicholas Cendoya, 19, from Costa Mesa, was discovered dehydrated and disoriented by another hiker shortly before 8pm last night and airlifted to hospital. He was barefoot and wearing shorts.

He and a second hiker, 18-year-old Kyndall Jack, also of Costa Mesa, had been missing in the Trabuco Canyon area of Orange County since Easter Sunday.

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Missing hikers: Nick Cendoya, 19, left, and Kyndall Jack, 18, right, lost their way while on a hike in the Cleveland National Forest. He was finally found last night, but there is as yet no sign of Miss Jack

Rescue: Firefighters escort Nick Cendoya to a waiting ambulance after he was found in the bush last night

Help: 'Dehydrated and delirious', Nick is stretchered off and taken to hospital

Mr Cendoya was talking to paramedics last night but struggled to answer questions about what had happened and where Miss Jack might be.

'He was extremely confused and disoriented,' said sheriff's Lieutenant Jason Park.

An Orange County Fire Authority helicopter pilot, using night vision goggles, picked up Cendoya after making verbal contact with him, according to KCBSTV, adding that Cendoya said: 'I'm Nick. I've been down here for three days.'

Only scaled down searches had been planned for the night, but teams intensified the hunt for Miss Jack with renewed hope after her hiking partner was found.

Sheriff's investigators planned to talk to him at length once he was recovering at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo.

They hoped to get more direction on where to look for Miss Jack, who was hiking with Mr Cendoya on Sunday when the pair made a desperate 911 call from a mobile phone which lost power soon after.

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The hiker who came across Mr Cendoya went for help and found a firefighting training crew not involved in the search that just happened to be nearby, said Lieutenant Park.

They found Cendoya about a half-mile south of where much of the search had focused. He was surrounded by so much vegetation that the helicopter rescue crew had trouble keeping track of him once they'd found him.

'When the rescuer was lowered he lost sight of him,' said Division Chief Kris Concepcion of the Orange County Fire Authority. 'That's how thick the brush was.'

Worried: Father of Kyndall Jack said he will not stop until his daughter is found

One missing: The search has resumed this morning for Miss Jack and rescuers said they believe there is a good chance they will find her

Efforts resumed: Authorities said Cendoya was 'not a good source of information' as to the whereabouts of Miss Jack, who is still missing

Rough terrain: Officials believe the two teens took a detour and got off the Cleveland National Forest's popular Holy Jim Trail, a tree-lined dirt path along a creek that leads to a waterfall and is popular with day hikers

Left behind: Officials came across a green BMW that belongs to one of the lost hikers

Miss Jack's green BMW: In the teenagers' 911 call they said they were about a mile from the car, which was parked at a trailhead, but rescuers expanded the search after failing to find them nearby

By land and by air: Deputies brought in bloodhounds, left, and air support, right, to help in the search for the two missing hikers

Several dozen searchers with help from helicopters have spent days combing the rugged hills of Trabuco Canyon. Two volunteers got lost themselves and had to be airlifted out yesterday afternoon.

They were searching the area because the teenagers' 911 call on Sunday was traced to a nearby mobile phone tower, said Orange County Fire Authority Captain John Muir.

Captain Muir said earlier that Mr Cendoya and Miss Jack's 'probability for survival is good' with mild weather both day and night.

The two were believed to have gone off trail near Holy Jim Trail, a tree-lined dirt path along a creek that leads to a waterfall and is popular with day hikers.

The trail is surrounded by waist-high brush and the terrain also features a rocky area.

In the 911 call, they said they were about a mile from Miss Jack's car, which was parked at a trailhead, but rescuers expanded the search after failing to find them nearby.

The missing teenager's mother drew a message on the car's dusty windshield that read: 'Kyndall - we r looking wont stop love you mom,' and signed it with a heart.

'When you're disoriented because you're out of breath and tired and you think you're one mile away, you could be potentially three or four miles away,' Captain Muir said yesterday afternoon.

'There's a lot of ground to cover.'

Possible lead: Deputies were planning to check out a mineshaft where a bloodhound picked up a faint scent

About 60 officials from various agencies are taking part in the search. The U.S. Forest Service gave permission to cut brush on a mountain peak to land a helicopter carrying a pair of bloodhounds to search from the top down.

Miss Jack's father, Russ, told ABC7 that his daughter called him at around 1.30pm on Sunday saying that she was going on a hike. He said it was out of character for her because she usually goes to the gym.

Risky adventure: Kyndall Jack's father said his daughter called him Sunday to say that she is going on a hike, which was unusual for her

Risky adventure: Kyndall Jack's father said his daughter called him on Sunday to say that she was going on a hike, which was unusual for her

Her mother, Dawn, said the teenager is not a very experienced hiker.

Mr Cendoya and Miss Jack made their emergency to local authorities at 8.25pm on Sunday saying that they lost their way while hiking in Trabuco Canyon.

The pair thought they were about a mile from their car - a green BMW - but their phone battery died before officials had the chance to pinpoint the teens' location on a GPS device.

Officials believe Miss Jack and Mr Cendoya got into difficulties after the pair took a detour and got off the well-marked, popular trail during their hike.

Deputies scoured the area on foot on Sunday in search of the teens but to no avail.

On Monday, authorities continued the search using bloodhounds and helicopters, according to the sheriff's department.

KTLA reported that it remains unknown whether the hikers had any supplies with them.

Lieutenant Erin Giudice told the station the growing concern was that the teenagers had been injured and sought cover under a tree, making it impossible to see them from the air.

The area is in a section of the national forest in the Santa Ana Mountains, which lie along the border of Orange and Riverside counties southeast of Los Angeles.

The trail ranges in elevation from about 2,000ft to about 4,000ft.

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This does not sound right. Hiking unusual for her and now he's found, but she's missing? Hope for the best, but he needs to be questioned closely as to why they separated.

- Sr Nanny , Ancaster-Ontario, Canada, 04/4/2013 15:18

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This would be an ideal task for a drone with infrared sensors - they would probably have been found very rapidly. But all the NIMBYs are against drones.

- Ian W , Reading, 04/4/2013 15:10

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I hope they only separated because perhaps he went to get help and told her to stay where she was. I do hope they find her soon!

- drcldh , Los Angeles, 04/4/2013 15:05

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familiar with this area not really easy to get lost ..something is not right about this ...why would they separate?? hope she is found safe but feel this is going to have a bad ending

- blindhog , menifee, United States, 04/4/2013 14:42

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Not good......why would she be missing and not with him???

- dian1045 , HEMET, United States, 04/4/2013 14:36

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Something not right here ....

- wyrinth , rockport, United States, 04/4/2013 14:33

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So many things done wrong here. No matter how long your hike is going to be always take extra provisions. Extra water, water purification tablets, granola bars or high calorie sports bars MRE's are a good idea.. You should also carry a lighter or matches for building a fire if you do get lost. Thermal blankets for not only warmth but due to their reflective quality they can be used as a signal. A mirror to signal anyone in the air. A emergency fishing kit it is about the size of a mints container and light. A GPS device with your route mapped out so if you do get lost you can find your way back. And it would not hurt to learn how to use a compass. I really hope the woman is okay.

- jenniferrose1978 , Lancaster, United States, 04/4/2013 14:10

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Does not sound good,......................................... hope the young girl is safe and found soon

- steve777 , Stowmarket, United Kingdom, 04/4/2013 13:57

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I read so many stories of hikers getting lost that it just scares me. I know that it can happen but I feel people need to be better prepared, obviously, if you are going to wander into the woods like that and not know where you are going. It's scary because without a phone and then trying to find your way back, anything can happen. No way would I take any chances. That and all the accidents in rivers and water lately. No thanks.

- Pak31 , USA, 04/4/2013 13:42

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Really not liking the sound of this. Why would she leave him and go off on her own? Was she even able to go off on her own? And her father said hiking was unusual for her? This is not a good sign folks. Hope she's found alive and well.

- Mick , Sydney, 04/4/2013 13:34

Click to rate Rating 63

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