Missing person found alive
<p>A team of search and rescue organizations from throughout northwestern Montana took part in the rescue of Troy Akers. The search began on Sunday, April 26, and concluded Wednesday, April 29 at 4:15 p.m., when Akers was found alive in a dry creek bed.</p>
DIXON-On Wednesday, April 26, 2015, after four days of searching for Troy Akers of Ronan, who had been lost in the wilderness that straddles Sanders and Lake County, he was found alive and coherent with only exposure injuries in a creek bed.
The search was underway along the back road, North Creek Road and the surrounding wilderness that straddles Sanders and Lake County. The pull off for the road was between Dixon and Arlee. The staging ground for operations was in a clearing along the road, where all the groups and agencies met and planned their next moves.
Reported by Sheriff Rummel, Akers was last seen on April 26 when he and three of his friends took a drive up North Creek Road. Their vehicle became stuck and they abandoned the vehicle and started walking to find help. The four of them, Akers included, became lost as they attempted to find help and their way. While lost, Sheriff Rummel reported that he believed Akers became separated from the group, probably falling behind. Eventually, the three individuals were rescued, but Akers was not with the group and declared missing.
Askers was reported to be wearing a white t-shirt, shorts and tennis shoes.
The search continued through Monday and Tuesday. Sheriff Rummel said that on Tuesday he had 15 people and three rescue dogs out looking for Akers and on Wednesday, he had 25 people out and one rescue dog searching.
The area on Wednesday that the search and rescue operations were working in was approximately 80 to 90 acres, Sheriff Rummel reported. He said that some of the area was already searched the day before and that new area was being covered.
At 4:15pm on the 29th, the call came in that one of the ground crews found Akers in a creek bottom. Two helicopters with different capabilities were called in. A Med Star helicopter was called in from Missoula. It arrived at the staging ground and waited. The ground rescue group could not get Akers out of the Creek bed and a second helicopter, Two Bear out of Kalispell, was called in to get Akers out. Eventually, the second helicopter got Akers out and landed at the staging ground and Akers was transferred to the Med Star helicopter and taken to Missoula.
A relieved Sheriff Rummel wanted to make clear that a large variety of agencies and groups were all there helping. He said that the North Valley Search and Rescue, Flathead County Search and Rescue, Lincoln County Search and Rescue, Sanders County Search and Rescue, Lake County Search and Rescue, Missoula County Search and Rescue, two from border patrol, Tribal Fish and Game and a rescue dog all helped. Sheriff Rummel was grateful.
“This is an answer to prayers. I want to really make sure that all the agencies are thanked for their help. We couldn’t have done it without them,” said Sheriff Rummel. He then said it was a success.