90-year-old searching for artifacts gets lost in frigid Maine woods, rescuers say

A 90-year-old man was found safe but freezing in Maine after he got lost in the woods, rescuers say.

James Thomas left his home in Mexico, Maine, on Friday, Oct. 7, to search for artifacts with his metal detector in Township E in Franklin County. He left his family a note telling them where he was going, the Maine Warden Service told WGME.

When Thomas didn’t return home Friday night, his family traveled 260 miles from Mexico to Township E and began searching for him, WGME reported. Family members found Thomas’ truck at his camp but noticed that his ATV was missing.

Around 11 p.m., the family called 911, and the Maine Warden Service, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and Border Patrol agencies started a search, according to the Sun Journal. After searching for several hours, a game warden located Thomas’ ATV several miles from where his truck was found.

With the help of a K9 named Storm, Warden Chad Robertson found Thomas about a quarter-mile from his ATV, the Sun Journal reported.

Officials say Thomas was safe when he was found, but without a winter coat on, he was freezing, so wardens took him to one of their vehicles to warm him up before sending him home, according to the Daily Bulldog. The temperature was 38 degrees when Thomas was found, according to the outlet.

Thomas told officials that he had been searching the woods for artifacts but could not find his ATV when he decided to leave. He then decided to try to locate his truck, but without a working flashlight he ended up lost, the Daily Bulldog reported.

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