CLEVELAND, S.C. (AP) — Dozens of rescuers scoured rugged terrain on Tuesday using drones, helicopters, offroad vehicles and dogs to search for a grandmother and three grandchildren who authorities believe got lost while hiking in a South Carolina state park.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said a boy called 911 on Monday evening saying he and three family members had been lost for about three hours in the area of Caesars Head State Park near Cleveland, South Carolina. A vehicle matching one described by the boy was found at the Raven Cliff Falls trailhead, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
The sheriff’s office identified the missing hikers as Tonda Michelin, 53; Melody Bangs, 14; Michael Lawton, 11; and Dale Moser, 9. Authorities have not said whether they live locally, or why the grandmother did not place the call.
During the 911 call, the child said his phone battery had almost run out, Lt. Ryan Flood of the sheriff’s office told WHNS-TV.
The search began Monday and at least 50 people from half a dozen agencies including the National Guard are involved in the search.
Caesars Head State Park is about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of Greenville, South Carolina, and is a protected environment for rare animals and plants. The Ravens Cliff Falls trail is a 4-mile (5.6-kilometer) round trip, leading to Caesars Head, a dramatic granite overlook atop the Blue Ridge Escarpment that provides views of many waterfalls.
Another popular trail — a 6.6-mile (10.6-kilometer) round trip — leads to a suspension bridge that crosses the creek above the 420-foot (130-meter) tall Raven Cliff Falls, according to the state park’s website. All the Caesars Head trails are rated as advanced and are in a wilderness setting, according to the website.
Caesars Head connects to Jones Gap State Park in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, which includes 17,000 acres (7,000 hectares) of mountainous forest, the website says.
