A large-scale search operation in Almaty has ended successfully with the discovery of an 11-year-old boy who went missing in the mountains on August 31. The child was found alive thanks to the coordinated efforts of hundreds of people and the use of modern technology, reports infohub.kz.
The Almaty Police Department released footage of the search operation launched after the boy got lost in the Ayusai Gorge during a walk with his parents. The child was at an altitude of about two thousand meters, which significantly complicated the search.
Immediately after the report of the disappearance, an operational headquarters was set up. More than 500 people were involved in the search: police officers, National Guard servicemen, rescuers, dog handlers, national park staff, drone operators, volunteer climbers, and concerned citizens.
The press service of the Almaty Police Department noted that there was no time to hesitate, as the weather in the mountains changes quickly, and the difficult terrain and many hard-to-reach areas greatly hinder the work of search groups. The area was divided into sectors; search teams on foot examined trails, slopes, and hard-to-reach places, while drones surveyed the area from the air. Dog handlers worked on the child's possible trail.
Rescuers and staff of the Ile-Alatau State National Natural Park, who know the mountain terrain well, also joined the search. As a result of the joint efforts of a combined group of rescuers and volunteers, the child was found.