8-Year-Old Boy Who Disappeared Near Mile-Long Lava Tube Cave in Arizona Found Safe One Day Later
Authorities announced that the boy had been separated from his family on Wednesday evening as they were visiting Coconino National Forest
Google Maps
The Lava River Cave in Coconino National Forest.An 8-year-old boy who went missing for over a day while his family was visiting a national forest in northern Arizona has been found safe.
According to a press release shared by the Coconino County Sheriff's Office, a boy identified as Tzion Maron was reported missing by his family on Wednesday, Aug. 21, after they became separated while the group was visiting the Lava River Caves, a mile-long lava tube cave inside Coconino National Forest, located northwest of Flagstaff, Ariz.
The sheriff's office said that the boy's family reported him missing at around 6:15 p.m. local time, and the office's search and rescue unit looked for him through the night, reporting that he had last been seen on foot at the cave's entrance.
By around 3:15 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22, the office had put out a call for volunteers on its Facebook page to help the search and rescue team look for Maron. Volunteers at the time were asked to report to Fort Valley Lodge, a nearby ski lodge.
"Patrol deputies and the Search and Rescue unit had multiple teams searching the area through the rainy night but the child has not been located at this time," the sheriff's office wrote in their Thursday morning Facebook post. "Search efforts are continuing throughout the day."
According to Weather Underground, the Flagstaff area experienced rain from around 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Wednesday night and the temperature dropped to 57 degrees. The sheriff's office stated in its missing persons report that the 8-year-old was wearing a grey t-shirt, pants and sneakers at the time he went missing.
At around 11:40 a.m., the sheriff's office updated its Facebook post to announce that Maron had been safely found after hours of searching.
"UPDATE!" the office wrote in its post. "THE MISSING BOY HAS BEEN FOUND SAFE."
Kpa/Zuma/Shutterstock
Coconino National Forest, southwest of Flagstaff, Ariz.Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service describes the Lava River Caves as a cave formed by lava over 700,000 years ago that sees most of its visitors in the summer months — but can still drop to temperatures as low as 42 degrees in the summer.
The department recommends visitors wear warm clothes and appropriate shoes.
"Dress appropriately when you come to visit, with warm clothes and sturdy shoes. The cave is as cool as 42° even in summer, and you may even find some ice inside," the Forest Service website states. "The rocks are always sharp and slippery, too. Bring two or three sources of light, in case one happens to fail, it can be very dark one mile from the nearest light source."
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
