19 August 2023 , 19:44
722
0
A couple who disappeared for eight days while hiking in the wilderness were safely found - two miles from their parked car.
Jonas Bare, 50, and Cynthia Hovsepian, 37, from Tennessee, went missing while hiking in Alaska after they had become disoriented by the prolonged daylight hours and freezing temperatures.
The couple's rented Jeep and belongings were found abandoned near a popular resort as concerns grew for their welfare.
Despite the challenging conditions, they managed to survive, with Jonas Bare being described as a veteran traveller. Cynthia Hovsepian is visually impaired and occasionally uses a cane.
For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US
Nicola Bulley's children 'cried their eyes out' after being told 'mummy's lost'
Jonas Bare and Cynthia Hovsepian went missing while hiking in Alaska (Facebook)Mr Bare's uncle mentioned that he believed Jonas Bare and Cynthia Hovsepian became disoriented and confused by the extended daylight hours and the changing temperatures of Alaska during this time of year.
He stated that they were probably lost and disoriented, as otherwise, they would have been able to find their way out. He told New York Post: "They were lost, I’m sure, and disoriented, or else they would have been out of there."
The uncle also commented on the ruggedness of the terrain, emphasising that they were found just two miles from their car, which illustrated how challenging the environment could be.
He said: "Here’s your kicker: two miles from the car. That’s how that tells you right there how rugged that country could be."
They were located just two miles away from their parked car by a hiker in Fairbanks (Fairbanks Police Department)According to the couple's daughter, the pair were being treated at the hospital but it remains unclear if they suffered any injuries. In one picture, Bare is covered in dirt next to his 71-year-old father Billy just moments after being found.
The concerned dad had been desperately searching in the woods for several days looking for his son after the couple was reported missing on August 11. They had failed to check out of their Airbnb rental and left all their luggage behind, which concerned the police.
Friends and family of Bare said he is a "capable" man who has done extensive travelling throughout the world but it remains a mystery how they survived for eight days in the wilderness.
Bare, a businessman, last posted on Facebook about his recent trip to Alaska on August 8 and mentioned in a previous post he was travelling to his 50th state for his 50th birthday.
He chillingly joked on social media: “I’m not going to get lost like I did 10 years ago in Australia and Katoomba Range. If a Kodiak gets me, I’ll consider that an honourable death."
Cops are investigating the circumstances surrounding their disappearance.
Mum appeared 'completely normal' moments before vanishing while walking dog