CHAFFEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Salida, Colorado

PRESS RELEASE

October 10, 2017

On October Tuesday, 10^th , the search for Shuei Koto, missing since October 7^th, after he left to hike and summit Missouri Peak, resumed at 0700 hours.

Chaffee County SAR utilized fixed wing aircraft outfitted with infrared technology, supplied by the Dept of Homeland Defense, avalanche dogs and handlers supplied by Monarch Mountain and Vail Mountain as well as aircraft from the Air National Guard and Flight for Life.

During the search infrared picked up on a possible small fire in the Pine Creek drainage, which is north of the Missouri Peak summit. Being alerted to this fire search crews responded to the area and located Shuei Koto, who had started the fire to stay warm. Koto was transported to the Chaffee County SAR bay in Buena Vista where he was reunited with his family. Koto was in good physical condition and did not require medical attention.

Sheriff John Spezze would like to thank Chaffee County SAR North, Lake County SAR, Summit County SAR, Monarch Mountain, Vail Mountain, Flight for Life, Reach Air Ambulance, Search and Rescue Board of Colorado, The Department of Homeland Defense and the Air National Guard for all the assistance in this search. Well over 70 personnel were involved in this search as well as countless hours of flight time logged in this effort. This was another large scale team effort that resulted in saving a man’s life. Thank You.