Woman Spends 100th Birthday Lost In Plumas County Woods; Rescued 45 Hours Later

PLUMAS COUNTY (CBS13) - A 100-year-old woman who was lost in the woods for 45 hours has been found safe.

On Wednesday, Mai Chor Vang of El Dorado Hills and some of her family members were walking in the Four Trees area of Plumas County on her 100th birthday when they noticed at 1 p.m. that Vang was missing. They searched for her until dark, and when they still couldn't find her, contacted family members who helped search for Vang throughout the night, according to a statement from the Plumas County Sheriff's Department.

Searchers, along with Vang's family members and friends, posed for a photo after Vang was found. (credit: Crystal Lee)

Vang was reported missing to the Butte County Sheriff's Office the next morning and Plumas County Sheriff's Office and Plumas County Search and Rescue personnel responded to the scene and searched for Vang until it got dark. They were able to find her hat, but no other sign of Vang could be found.

The search resumed on Friday morning, with additional agencies assisting in the search. Vang was finally found around 8:40 a.m. She was uninjured, but cold and dehydrated.

Vang was carried out of the forest and transported to a Chico hospital by helicopter.

She was found only a half-mile from where she was last seen.