ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. (KABC) -- A 73-year-old man has been found alive one week after he went missing while on a hike near Mount Waterman in the Angeles National Forest, authorities announced Saturday.
Eugene Jo became separated from a group of fellow hikers after having lunch and traversing a trail on June 22. A massive search was launched, comprised of about 75 people divided into 11 teams.
There was no sign of Jo until about 11 a.m. Saturday, when he was spotted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Altadena Search and Rescue Team. He was several miles away from the trail of the original hike.
"Search team reports they have found 73 year old Mr Jo, after a week in the wilderness, he is alive!," the Montrose Search and Rescue Team said in a tweet.
Jo was airlifted to a hospital after being located in Devil's Canyon and hoisted into a helicopter by tactical medics with the sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau, according to the agency.
He was airlifted to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena for treatment.
He did not appear to have any traumatic injuries, authorities said.
Authorities say Jo did one key thing that helped him survive.
"The most essential thing about survival up there in the mountains is to find a water source," said Lt. David Holwager. "So, he did find a water source and that is probably the key to him being able to survive up there."
Jo has been reunited with his family and released from the hospital.
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