News Release

Search Underway for Overdue Hikers

Date: June 23, 2020
Contact: Patti Wold, 360-569-6701

June 23, 2020, Ashford, WA—Two independent searches are currently underway at Mount Rainier National Park for two missing persons. One search is focused on trails out of Longmire and the second unrelated search is focused on Paradise area trails.

June 23, 2020, Search 1 of 2, Longmire
Longmire, WA—A search is underway for an overdue hiker in the Longmire area of Mount Rainier National Park. Teams are searching Longmire trails for Vincent Djie, a 25-year-old Indonesian student, who has been living in Seattle.

Djie hiked the Alta Vista Trail at Paradise on June 18, and he was last seen the afternoon of Friday, June 19, hiking the Van Trump Trail toward Mildred Point. Djie failed to return home on June 19th and was reported missing to the Pierce County Sherriff’s Office. On Monday, June 22, a “Be On The Look Out” or BOLO was issued by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office for Djie’s vehicle which was subsequently found at Longmire, within Mount Rainier National Park. Djie was wearing black pants, and a blue and white tie dye shirt, and carrying a small drawstring-type bag. If you have any information regarding his current location, please call [phone].

Park rangers and volunteers from the Tacoma Mountain Rescue are conducting ground and aerial searches, as well as utilizing Forward Looking Infrared Rader, or FLIR, to detect any heat signatures being emitted in the area. Currently, most park trails are melted out to approximately 5,000 feet elevation, with patchy snow on trails and drainages at lower elevations.

Weather on Friday was warm and dry, with a cold front bringing unsettled, cooler weather on Saturday and Sunday with 1/4" of precipitation and poor visibility above 6000 feet. Monday saw a return of calm, sunny weather. Tuesday is expected to again be warm and dry with a high of 79 at Longmire. Cloud cover will increase late in the day, marking the approach of the next frontal system. The frontal system will pass across the area on Wednesday, bringing a threat for a few light showers to the park.

The park is working closely with the Indonesian Consulate in San Francisco, CA and family members. Tacoma Mountain Rescue, Volcano Rescue Team, and Mount Rainier National Park Search & Rescue teams are currently involved in the search. This operation is one of two major searches currently underway in the park.

June 23, 2020, Search 2 of 2, Paradise
Paradise, WA—A second search, unrelated to the Longmire search, is underway at Paradise for a missing person who intended to hike at Paradise on Sunday, June 21, 2020. Crews are focusing on the northeast trails at Paradise.

Talal Sabbagh, 27-year-old, from Seattle, was reported missing on Monday, June 22. Rangers located his vehicle in the parking lot at Paradise. A hasty search was conducted on Monday resulting in no sign of Sabbagh. Search efforts expanded today to seven ground teams and the park contract A-STAR B-3 helicopter. 

He was last seen wearing a gray shirt, black shorts, and dark Nike shoes. If you have any information regarding his current location, please call [phone].

The park is coordinating with his family. Seattle, Olympic, and Everett Mountain Rescues, Pierce County Explorers, and Mount Rainier National Park are currently involved in search efforts.