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3w ago

Search for Missing 79-Year-Old Hiker Expands with New Drone Teams and Community Efforts

The search for Margaret 'Elaine' McKinley, missing since May 1 in Windy Hill Preserve, enters its fifth day with over 150 responders and expanded aerial operations.

Specialized rescuers and volunteers search for a missing hiker at the Windy Hill Open Space Preserve in Portola Valley.
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Overview

  • Margaret 'Elaine' McKinley, a 79-year-old hiker with dementia, has been missing since May 1 after becoming separated from her family on the Lost Trail in Windy Hill Open Space Preserve.
  • Authorities have mobilized more than 150 search and rescue personnel, deploying drones, K-9 units, horses, bicycles, and aerial support to cover the preserve's rugged 1,400-acre terrain.
  • The search area has been expanded west of Skyline Boulevard, with additional drone teams from neighboring counties aiding in aerial operations to locate McKinley.
  • Residents near the preserve are being urged to review security camera footage from May 1 and report any findings or lack thereof via an online form to assist in the search effort.
  • Officials, including San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus, remain hopeful, emphasizing that successful rescues have occurred even after several days of searching.