Firefighters work to aid pair of hikers, one still unaccounted for
GAVIOTA – Firefighters responded around 2 p.m. Sunday to a report of a pair of hikers having problems on Gaviota Peak after receiving a report of the female hiker suffering mild heat exhaustion.
Fireofficials said her boyfriend left to get help.
A Santa Barbara County helicopter rescued the female and brought her to Station 38.
Resources were still looking for her boyfriend on the mountain.
A later update noted that firefighters requested a search dog be sent to find the still-missing 29-year-old boyfriend, who was described as wearing khaki shorts but no shirt. “He may have been picked up for a ride,” said Capt. Scott Safechuck, the department’s public information officer.
He asked the public to contact law enforcement if they see a person matching his description. At 6:18 p.m., Capt. Safechuck reported that someone might have seen the boyfriend walking southbound in the northbound side of Highway 101.
– Neil Hartstein
