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Wednesday, August 10, 2005

G'Day, Mate

A massive search is being conducted for a lost hiker in Utah.
(Aug 5, 2005) --ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) -- Rocky Mountain rescue dogs have joined the search for missing hiker Bryan Butas. Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith said Friday's search was set for 7 a.m. in the hope the calm early morning weather would aid the dogs.

The 35-year-old St. George reportedly planned to go hiking alone last Saturday afternoon in the Oak Grove area near Leeds. His car was found Sunday near the Oak Grove campground, Undersheriff Bart Bailey said.

Volunteers from Butas' church and his office, two airplanes from the Civil Air Patrol, one helicopter, the Rocky Mountain search dogs and two powered parachutes combed the Oak Grove area on Thursday.

Butas' wife and three children relocated last week to Ohio and Butas was planning to join them in December.
The search is temporarily postponed.
The two-day search was called off Tuesday night because of extreme weather conditions in the area but will reconvene today.
Search resumed, but now scheduled to be scaled back. No luck so far.
ST. GEORGE - As the sixth day of searching for missing hiker Bryan Butas closed, Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith said the search will be scaled back.
Uhhh, Nevermind!
SALT LAKE CITY -- A man thought to have disappeared while hiking in southwestern Utah has been traced to Australia, Washington County sheriff's officers said Tuesday.

Bryan Butas, 35, of St. George, Utah, reportedly planned to go hiking alone July 30 in an area near Leeds. His car was found the next day near the Oak Grove campground in Dixie National Forest.

Sheriff Kirk Smith said investigators found that Butas had purchased a plane ticket on July 20 and flew from Los Angeles to New Zealand and then to Sydney on Aug. 2. He was then traced to Cairns, Queensland.
Hmmm, wife and kids move to Ohio, where he is to join them. Maybe he should have taken that left at Albuquerque.

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posted by Greg at 11:05 AM