A hiker who went missing near a steep Arizona canyon has been found alive and was rescued after three days in the wilderness.
Janelle Banda, 32, was camping with her father, David, when she mysteriously wandered from the campsite in Coconino County at around 10.30pm on Friday, Fox 10 reports.
The area she was last spotted in is called the Edge of the World, near Woody Mountain Road overlooking Bear Sign Canyon.
Authorities suspected Banda descended into a nearby side canyon, but never returned to her campsite.
Search crews began scouring the area overnight, but came up empty. They then continued their search efforts on Saturday, and when Banda was still not found, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office called in additional resources.
‘The operation continued with personnel from the Arizona DPS Air Rescue, Coconino, Yavapai and Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue units,’ the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office said.
‘Despite these efforts, no further signs of the missing woman were discovered and plans were made to intensify the search on Monday.’
Banda was ultimately located at around noon, with her sister claiming to Fox 10 she was found by someone who decided to rappel near the bottom of Bear Sign Canyon.
‘The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit responded with a Super Huey helicopter and performed a hoist rescue,’ the Coconino Sheriff’s Office said.
‘The woman was flown to the Sedona Airport, where Sedona Fire Department personnel transported her to Verde Valley Medical Center for further treatment.’
She was dehydrated and suffered from minor injuries, according to ABC 15.
Still, the news was a miracle for Banda’s family, who spent the weekend praying for the best, but mentally preparing themselves for the worst.
‘It’s a lot,’ said her sister, Sarah Banda. ‘It’s so heavy, but now, it’s a good heavy.’
She explained that her family kept its faith even through the darkest moments.
‘Even when we felt at our lowest… usually by the end of the day, you feel it, right? It’s dark and we know she’s alone, but we were like, “Wherever she is, we will find her.”‘
Now that Janelle has been rescued, Sarah says she just wants to ‘see her so badly.’
‘I was told that my dad got to talk to her and she’s saying that she just wants to see her family,’ Sarah added, noting that the entire ordeal has only strengthened her love for her sister.
‘Truly, you’re thinking, “How do you go” – for me, “How do I go about without my sister?”
‘But now that she’s here, I get to appreciate every moment that I have with her even more so than ever before.’
Sarah also said her family is grateful for the prayers and various offers to help search for her sister.