U.S. Military
Copters, Personnel Join Search For Missing
American in Costa Rica
The U.S. military has sent two specially
equipped helicopters and 15 military
personnel to aid in the search for an
American missing in Costa Rica, according to
the military and the missing man's
congressman.
David Gimelfarb, 28, of Chicago, Illinois,
was last seen August 11, when he went hiking
in a Costa Rican national park. His parents
have been searching for him with the aid of
the Costa Rican Red Cross and friends of the
missing man.
Gimelfarb's congressman, Rep. Mark Kirk,
D-Illinois, wrote to Defense Secretary
Robert Gates on Monday requesting assistance
from the U.S. military, and the military
agreed to send UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters,
equipped with infrared sensors that can
detect a human body by its emitted heat.
There are 15 U.S. Air Force and Army troops,
including medics, pilots, crew and
communications specialists, accompanying the
helicopters in the search, according to a
military spokesman.
The helicopters and personnel are from a
base in Honduras that houses a joint task
force under the United States Southern
Command. The task force's mission includes
supporting rescue, humanitarian assistance
and disaster relief operations in the
region, according to a spokesman for the
Southern Command.
The Blackhawk helicopters flew two missions
Wednesday in support of the search and
continuing the flyovers on Thursday,
according to the spokesman, Jose Ruiz.
Gimelfarb was hiking alone when he
disappeared, according to information posted
on a Facebook page set up by his family and
friends. He had traveled to Costa Rica to
explore the volcanic region in the Rincon de
Veija National Park, and he was last seen by
a park ranger there before he entered an
area of "dense rainforest," according to the
Facebook page.
"The search for David is particularly
appropriate for military assets because this
is one American lost in the jungle," Kirk
said in a phone interview. "right now we
think it boosts the chances to find David."
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