Tonight, January 6th, the search for a missing skydiver near Mt. Si has been suspended. Kurt Ruppert of Florida disappeared Thursday afternoon, January 3rd, after jumping out of a helicopter at 6,500 feet.
The King Sheriff’s Office said over the last four days 386 volunteers from 19 different agencies searched an area approximately 9 square miles for 29 year-old Ruppert. The Sheriff’s Office helicopter also spent three days searching from the air. Searchers also extensively searched a quarter-mile square area they said was a “potential” narrowed area based on Ruppert’s cell phone and his jump helicopter’s flight path data.
The Sheriff’s Office said they have finished searching the areas that could be reached on foot. There are steep cliff areas that could not be searched due to the extreme risk to searchers. The Sheriff’s Office said they will search those areas by helicopter when weather permits.
