Missing 76-year-old hiker found alive, authorities say

He was transported to a local hospital where he was reunited with his family.

February 19, 2020, 8:27 AM

An elderly man who had vanished while hiking in Northern California was found alive Tuesday night, authorities said.

Robert Bennett, 76, was reported missing on Monday after he failed to return from a hike in a Marin County nature preserve. The Marin County Sheriff's Office had said Bennett was last seen that afternoon walking toward a trailhead that leads to Big Rock Ridge, which borders the cities of Novato and San Rafael.

PHOTO: Robert Bennett is seen in this undated handout photo. Bennett was located on the night of Feb. 18, 2020, a day after he disappeared while on a hike near Big Rock Ridge in California's Marin County.
Robert Bennett is seen in this undated handout photo. Bennett was located on the night of Feb. 18, 2020, a day after he disappeared while on a hike near Big Rock Ridge in California's Marin County.
Marin County Sheriff's Office

Search and rescue teams scoured the trails in the area all day Tuesday.

"We anticipate working through the night trying to find Robert," the Marin County Sheriff's Office said in a post on its official Twitter page.

PHOTO: Search and rescue crews located missing hiker Robert Bennett in Marin County, California, on the night of Feb. 18, 2020. Bennett was transported to a local hospital.
Search and rescue crews located missing hiker Robert Bennett in Marin County, California, on the night of Feb. 18, 2020. Bennett was transported to a local hospital.
Marin County Sheriff's Office

Police dogs eventually found Bennett that night and directed rescuers to his location. The Marin County Sheriff's Office tweeted that emergency crews were "working on extracting him," without providing further details on the matter.

Bennett was later transported to a local hospital where he was reunited with his family. The Marin County Sheriff's Office said his condition is unknown at this time.