Wisconsin 8-year-old missing in UP's Porcupine Mountains found safe
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (William DeShazer/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
HURLEY, Wis. - An 8-year-old boy from Hurley, Wisconsin, missing in the Porcupine Mountains in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, was found safe, his school district wrote on Facebook Monday, May 8.
"Words can not describe the emotions and joy the students and staff are experiencing at this moment!" the school district's post said.
Nante Niemi (COURTESY: Hurley School District/Facebook)
Nante Niemi was camping with family in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the western Upper Peninsula when he disappeared Saturday afternoon, his mother, Jessica Buerger, told WDIO-TV.
He was found around 1:30 p.m. on Monday, approximately two miles from the campsite. Overnight temperatures had been in the 40s.
"He had braved the elements by taking shelter under a log where he was ultimately found. He is in good health and reunited with his family," state police said in a statement.
More than 150 people from various law enforcement groups joined the search on foot, in the air and on water. The park has rivers and lakes and is situated along Lake Superior.
A post on the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park ("the Porkies") Facebook page over the weekend alluded to the search involving "dozens of agencies from across the UP and Wisconsin" Sunday morning.
"The terrain is very rough, and they are doing a great job and need the time and focus to do so," Buerger said.
The Hurley School District said Sunday they were getting calls from people interested in helping to search for the boy. In the post, the school district said they were "ready with two buses of volunteers to go help search."
However, they said the many professional agencies on scene from Wisconsin and Michigan asked volunteers to please stay away, so they could best do their job.
The school district stressed that they were ready to send volunteers if requested.
The Iron County Sheriff's Office in Hurley shared the school district's post and said they stood ready when or if they are called upon to help with the search.
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Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park officials said they did not want volunteers from the public "to limit the chaos."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.