Masako Watanabe and Frank San Nicolas

Pacific Daily News

The 29-year-old pugua forager missing in Yona since Thursday walked out of the jungle mid-morning Friday with no visible injuries.

He was treated by medics for exhaustion and transported to Guam Memorial Hospital for evaluation, said firefighter Kevin Reilly, Guam Fire Department spokesman.

According to Morwhy Masters, 39, his brother Allen Masters was the man went missing, prompting a search by firefighters and a Navy helicopter squadron.

Morwhy Masters said he was with his brother Thursday as they looked for pugua in the jungle near the Manengon memorial site. Mid-afternoon Thursday, Morwhy Masters said he returned to his pickup because he had enough pugua. His brother said he wanted to find more, and stayed in the jungle as Morwhy Masters waited at his pickup.

About an hour later, Morwhy Masters heard his brother scream.

Search on foot, by helicopter

The missing man was with two others as they entered the jungle around noon Thursday, Reilly said.

The trio had begun their trek in the Manengon memorial site area around noon Thursday, expecting to finish by 2 p.m., Reilly said.

When the man failed to return, the the two others began to search for him, Reilly said. Unable to find him by 5:50 p.m., they called 911, Reilly said.

GFD began a search-and-rescue operation around 6 p.m. Thursday, along with the Navy's Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25. They suspended efforts around 12:30 a.m. Friday, and resumed at daylight, Reilly said.

Emerges shirtless, barefoot

Friday morning, Battalion Chief Dean Soriano briefed three firefighters as they prepared to hike into the jungle. Soriano said the firefighters would search on foot as the area is unsuitable for all-terrain vehicles.

Morwhy Masters joined the firefighters and a search-and-rescue volunteer with a search dog as they hiked into the jungle to resume searching. A HSC-25 helicopter crew scoured the area from the air.

Around 9:50 a.m., the first morning search party entered the jungle. After a second search party entered the jungle from the east of the Manengon Concentration Camp memorial monument, the missing man walked out from the west side of the monument.

"He (had) just basically lost his way," Soriano said.

Masters walked out shirtless and barefoot, with no visible injuries. SWAT officers and firefighters ushered him into a concrete bus stop, out of the blazing sun. Rescuers immediately gave him a bottle of water.

He was alert and talked with first responders and his family — some of whom went with GFD to search for him — before being taken to GMH by ambulance.

GFD was joined by the Guam National Guard, Guam Police Department, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, volunteer Richard Burkhart and his search dog Hunter in the search operations.

Reilly urged residents who go hiking to keep safety in mind. When out in the jungle, hikers should have safety and emergency gear handy, Reilly said.

"Make sure your family knows your plans," he said.

Pacific Daily News reporter Jasmine Stole contributed to this report.

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