Advertisement

Helicopter finds lost cyclist in Florida woods

The Seminole County Sheriff's Office Alert 1 helicopter was able to locate the woman after she lit some brush on fire to signal the chopper.

By Ben Hooper

This past Friday night, a woman became lost while riding her bike on the Seminole State Forest bicycle trail near the Chuluota area. Her husband called 911 since she did not return at her expected time and the SCSO Alert 1 helicopter launched and responded to the heavily wooded area to begin the search. Once they were in general area, the flight crew used the helicopter’s loud speaker to direct the woman to try to provide a light source that she could shine towards the sky to help them see her. The lost bicyclist was able to light some brush on fire and wave it in the air. That was just the help the flight crew needed to spot her and direct ground units to her location. Deputies then escorted her and her bicycle safely out of the woods and reunited her with her family.

Posted by Seminole County Sheriff's Office on Monday, April 6, 2015
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter

CHULUOTA, Fla., April 7 (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida said a cyclist who became lost in the woods was located and rescued with the help of a police helicopter.

The Seminole County Sheriff's Office said the woman's husband called 911 when she did not return at the expected time Friday and the SCSO Alert 1 helicopter was dispatched to search for her in the area surrounding the Seminole State Forest bicycle trail near Chuluota.

Advertisement

The helicopter crew used the vehicle's loudspeaker to tell the woman to try to shine a light toward the sky so she could be located, and the woman was able to light some brush on fire and wave it toward the chopper, which then spotted the cyclist.

The crew was able to direct a ground crew to the woman and she was escorted out of the woods and returned to her family.

Latest Headlines