EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. (KTXL) — The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said a missing camper was found dead in Desolation Wilderness on Wednesday.
The hiker was identified as 32-year-old Jia Huang of San Francisco.
Someone reported an abandoned tent that had been blown over on Tuesday just before 2 p.m. According to the sheriff’s office, the person who made the report was concerned because of the state of the tent and personal items that were in it.
Talking to other hikers, authorities learned the tent appeared to have been abandoned overnight Monday.
Authorities were able to identify Huang with a USFS Wilderness Permit and driver’s license that were in the tent. Huang’s family was contacted, and they said Huang would camp alone and planned to return Wednesday.
Emergency texts to Huang’s phone were not successful, and neither was an aerial search near Lake Aloha. He was then listed as a missing person due to the circumstances, and the sheriff’s office’s Search and Rescue Team was asked to help.
Authorities began a ground search for Huang, and they found gear near the shore of Lake Aloha. The sheriff’s office then requested more air support, an aerial search searched near where the gear was found and found someone under the water.
A dive team recovered the person, and authorities identified the swimmer as Huang. According to the sheriff’s office, the death was ruled accidental.
“EDSO extends our thoughts and prayers to the family, friends, and loved ones of Jia Huang for their loss.”