A 31 year old Namibian national who became separated with his hiking companion was found alive and well on Thursday afternoon. Deno Ndilula had been reported overdue on Wednesday, May 15 by the individual he had been hiking with. An immediate search was launched by park law enforcement, JOSAR and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The search was called off after sundown and renewed again Thursday morning around 6 am.
On Thursday, mid morning, Mr. Ndilula came in contact with campers who transported him out of the park to a Twentynine Palms restaurant. The subject was contacted by sheriff’s deputies and park rangers at that location where Mr. Ndilula was enjoying his first meal in some time. Agencies who assisted the park in the search were California Highway Patrol, San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino County Search and Rescue and Joshua Tree National Park Search and Rescue.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
