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Contact: George Land, 760-367-5507
Search efforts are underway in the park for a hiker who was last seen around 2 pm, Wednesday afternoon. The subject is a 31 year old, male from Namibia named Deno Ndilula. Ndilula and a companion started out on the southern end of the Boy Scout Trail at approximately 8 am on May 15. The two became confused with the trail in the vicinity of the Willow Hole area and separated around 2 pm. Mr. Ndilula’s companion made it to Keys Ranch and used the emergency radio to call for assistance and park rangers were notified.
Mr. Ndilula was able to call 911 on his cell phone at approximately 5:50 pm and searchers were able to pin-point where the signal originated however, searchers were hampered by dwindling daylight conditions and were forced to discontinue the search until 6 am on Thursday morning. No further communication has been received from the subject. Assisting in the search is the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department along with park rangers and Joshua Tree National Park Search and Rescue volunteers.
Update, May 16, 2019 at 2 pm:
A 31 year old Namibian national who became separated with his hiking companion was found alive and well on Thursday afternoon. Deno Ndilula had been reported overdue on Wednesday, May 15 by the individual he had been hiking with. An immediate search was launched by park law enforcement, JOSAR and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. The search was called off after sundown and renewed again Thursday morning around 6 am.
On Thursday, mid morning, Mr. Ndilula came in contact with campers who transported him out of the park to a Twentynine Palms restaurant. The subject was contacted by sheriff’s deputies and park rangers at that location where Mr. Ndilula was enjoying his first meal in some time. Agencies who assisted the park in the search were California Highway Patrol, San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department, San Bernardino County Search and Rescue and Joshua Tree National Park Search and Rescue.
Last updated: May 16, 2019