No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveRed Cross Suspends Search for Missing Hiker

Red Cross Suspends Search for Missing Hiker

After nearly three weeks of looking, the Costa Rican Red Cross has suspended its search for David Gimelfarb, the missing 28-year-old doctoral student from Chicago, Illinois, in the United States.

National and local Red Cross teams retreated from Rincón de la Vieja National Park, in the northwestern province of Guanacaste, a week ago today, after finding no signs of Gimelfarb.

Freddy Román, a Red Cross press officer, said this search lasted longer than usual.

“Usually, we leave the search after eight days if we don’t find anything because of the high costs,” he said. “But, because of the support and help from the family, the U.S. Embassy and some private companies, we were able to extend the search to 15 days.”

Friends and family of Gimelfarb started raising funds to aid rescue efforts shortly after the search began on Aug. 12. Some of Gimelfarb’s co-workers joined his parents in Costa Rica to pass out missing person flyers and run supplies to search teams camped out inside the park.

The family hired ResQglobal, a private, United Kingdom-based search and rescue company, to help coordinate missions. The U.S. government sent two U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopters with infrared technology to Costa Rica to aid in the search.

Both the Blackhawks and ResQglobal have since left the country. Park rangers and area residents continue to help the family in their search for Gimelfarb.

Friends of the family have said Gimelfarb’s parents may hire a private investigator to help search for their son.

In Chicago, friends hosted an open-microphone event on Tuesday night at Dollop Coffee and Tea, a coffee house on the city’s north side, to show their appreciation for Gimelfarb’s love of the arts. Friends said the coffee shop was one of Gimelfarb’s favorite hangouts.

–Mike McDonald

 

Trending Now

Guatemala’s Gang War Funeral Attack Leaves 7 Dead and 13 Injured

At least seven people were killed and 13 wounded in an armed attack Tuesday night at a funeral in downtown Guatemala City, which authorities...

Costa Rica’s PPSO Backs Laura Fernández to Continue Rodrigo Chaves’s Agenda

Former Minister of Economy Francisco Gamboa and attorney Douglas Soto will join Laura Fernández for the 2026 elections, representing the Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO),...

Costa Rica Fails to Meet Human Rights Standards for Deportees

The Ombudsman's Office has confirmed that Costa Rica was unprepared to provide adequate care for deportees who have entered the country since February. This...

Keylor Navas Leads Pumas to Victory in His Liga MX Debut

Keylor Navas kicked off his Mexican league journey with Pumas UNAM in style, leading the team to a 2–0 win over Querétaro at Estadio...

Why I Choose Real Life in Costa Rica Over the AI Hype

When it comes to AI, call me OG. Old school. I sometimes wish I could go back to a time before it existed. Artificial...

Costa Rica Faces Economic Blow as Intel, Pfizer, and Qorvo Announce Restructuring

Intel announced that it will shut down its chip assembly and test plant in Costa Rica, part of a broader global restructuring aimed at...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica