A missing Mariposa County man has been found safe following a three-day search involving more than 100 volunteers and deputies, including many from Tulare County.

The search began after John Van Dinther went outside to get his mail around noon Wednesday and never returned, deputies said. He was last seen in the Jerseydale area of unincorporated Mariposa County, near Yosemite National Park.

On Saturday evening, search teams found Dinther after calling the 74-year-old's name and hearing noises in response. Searchers continued walking and calling out until they ultimately located him, deputies said.

"This is the outcome we train hard for," a Mariposa sheriff's representative said. "We would like to thank the approximately 100 professionally trained search teams who dedicated the last four days searching in very rugged terrain looking for John."

Dinther was found "two miles as the crow flies" away from his home. He was taken by ambulance to an area hospital to be evaluated by doctors.

Dinther spoke to family members and deputies as he was being carried to the ambulance, deputies said.

Tulare County Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue Team dedicated several deputies, trained volunteers and two drone units to the effort. Sheriffs' offices from across the Central Valley and the California Highway Patrol also assisted in the successful search, officials said.

Crews scoured the ground and used helicopters outfitted with loudspeakers calling Dinther's name to find the missing senior citizen.

Joshua Yeager covers water, agriculture, parks and housing for the Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register newspapers. Follow him on Twitter @VTD_Joshy. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.