Full Notification

DATE/TIME: Sunday, April 9th, 2017

INCIDENT: Search and Rescue/Missing Hiker

LOCATION: Mt Baldy

VICTIM: Suek "Sam" Kim, age 78 of Culver City

SUMMARY:
UPDATE: Tuesday, April 11th - 5:00 p.m.

At approximately 2:10 p.m., the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department 40K flight crew located a deceased victim on the North side of Mt. Baldy in Los Angeles County. The victim is believed to be Suek "Sam" Kim however, positive identification is pending. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will be recovering the victim from the mountain. The San Dimas Station will be taking over the investigation.

UPDATE: Tuesday, April 11th - 8:30 a.m.
The search continues today for missing hiker, Sam Kim. Mr. Kim is an avid and experienced hiker who frequents the Mt Baldy area on a regular basis. Mr. Kim has summited Mt Baldy nearly 800 times.

There are 18 search and rescue members in the field at this time. Search members from Fresno, Ventura, Kern and Los Angeles Counties have joined the search efforts today.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Aviation Division will be inserting 10 hikers at the summit to hike the trails down the mountain while the remaining search members hike the trails leading up to the summit.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sheriff's Dispatch at (909) 387-8313.
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On Sunday, April 9th at approximately 8:00am, deputies from the Fontana Sheriff's Station responded to Mt. Baldy following the report of an overdue hiker. Deputies were advised by family members that the adult male had gone hiking on Friday and had not returned home. Family stated that he is a very experienced hiker and has hiked to the Summit numerous times. His car was located at Manker Flats on Sunday. Deputies were also advised that he had taken food, water, and was dressed appropriately.

Sheriff's Aviation 40K5 assisted throughout the day conducting an aerial search. Eighteen search and rescue volunteers began searching the area. 40K5 inserted three teams at the top of the Summit to hike down; remaining teams hiked trails headed up to Summit. At approximately 7:00 pm there were 25 ground searchers as well as 2 K9 tracking dogs that had been utilized throughout the day. The search continued throughout the night.

On Monday, April 10th, Search and Rescue members from San Diego, Los Angeles, and Riverside counties responded to Mt. Baldy Fire Station to assist in the continuing search of the missing hiker. Approximately 40 search members are involved in the search today. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Aviation Division responded to assist. Eleven search and rescue members were flown to the top of the Summit and inserted. Remaining search members are hiking the trails leading up to the Summit.

The search will continue throughout the week with additional search and rescue members being requested from throughout the State.

Updates will be provided as they become available.

Refer: Public Affairs Division

Phone No.: (909) 387-3700

JOHN McMAHON, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department