ALTON, Maine — Searchers returned to the Penobscot County town of Alton on Friday and continued scouring the area looking for a 79-year-old hunter from the Orono area who has been missing since Thursday morning.
Maine Warden Service Lt. Dan Scott said about 50 searchers were in the woods looking for Robert Vadas.
A dozen canines from the Warden Service and the Maine Search and Rescue Dog association also are aiding with the search, along with aircraft, according to Scott.
Vadas was expected to emerge from the woods between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Thursday and was reported missing around 2 p.m., after his hunting party did some searching for him.
Officials searched until about 1 a.m. Friday before putting efforts on hold. Scott said pouring rain during the evening hours made efforts challenging.
Searchers are focusing on the area between the Tannery Road and Route 16, as Vadas was hunting at a camp in that area. A command post has been set up at the Alton town office on Route 16, the lieutenant said.
Vadas is a professor of botany, oceanography and zoology at the University of Maine. He was last seen wearing hunter orange and is not believed to be carrying a cellphone. He did not have much experience hunting in the area, according to the warden service.
Scott said he expects to disclose additional updates “as soon as we have anything more.”
“We’re just going to continue our effort until we locate him,” he added.
Anybody seeing a hunter matching Vadas’ description is urged to call State Police in Bangor at 973-3700.
