By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Search and rescue teams are rejoicing with the family of 79-year-old Tacoma resident Dapeng Yang who was located this afternoon alive and well after spending 48 hours lost in the woods south of Randle.
[1]Dapeng Yang
Yang was found about 2 p.m. walking near Forest Service Road 26, within a mile of the searchers’ base camp, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
“He is in good condition and will be transported by ambulance to Morton General Hospital for treatment of dehydration,” Chief Civil Deputy Stacy Brown said in a news release. “He is exhausted but did not have any signs of obvious injuries.”
Yang got separated from his family on Sunday morning as they gathered mushrooms in the forest.
Brown said it’s unknown why he did not respond to searchers calling his name and blowing whistles.
She had said previously there was a language barrier with those who reported him missing, as they were speaking Chinese.
His two female family members looked for him on Sunday and called for help that afternoon.
The area is heavily wooded, about 10 miles south of Randle, according to Brown.
Sheriff Steve Mansfield issued a statement expressing how pleased searchers are about the outcome.
“This is an incredible ending. Neither this mans’ family nor our search and rescue team gave up hope,” Mansfield said in the news release. “Our teams worked tirelessly for the last 48 hours in hopes of finding this man alive. We are very pleased that the mission turned out in such a positive manner.”
More than 30 volunteer searchers with horses, Jeeps, dogs and ham radios joined the effort from Lewis, Thurston, Cowlitz and other Western Washington counties.
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For background, read: “Tacoma man missing from mushroom gathering outing south of Randle” from Monday October 8, 2012 at 8:40 a.m., here [2]
See video when Yang spoke with KING5.com after he returned to his Tacoma home, here [3]