GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WOKI) — A multi-day search for a missing hiker has ended with a positive outcome after Marcin Bachleda-Blaszczak was found safe Tuesday afternoon in North Carolina outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The National Park Service confirmed Bachleda-Blaszczak’s safe recovery after an extensive search effort that involved park rangers, volunteers and multiple partner agencies.
Park officials expressed gratitude to the public for assisting in the search by sharing information and submitting tips, as well as to the many personnel who helped search for the missing hiker over several days.
“The National Park Service is grateful to everyone who assisted in the search by submitting tips and spreading the word, as well as to the many park rangers, volunteers and partner agencies who assisted with the search,” the agency said in a statement.
Officials said the incident remains under investigation. No additional details about the circumstances of Bachleda-Blaszczak’s disappearance or recovery were immediately available.
ORIGINAL STORY: Smoky Mountains National Park begin searching after a man is reported missing earlier this week. According to park officials, Marcin Bachleda-Blaszczak was reported missing on Aug. 24, prompting an ongoing search effort in and around the park.
Park officials said dispatchers received a report that Bachleda-Blaszczak was missing and subsequently located his vehicle near the Sugarlands Visitor Center, one of the park’s most heavily visited areas located just outside Gatlinburg. The discovery of the vehicle has become a focal point of the search operation.
Authorities describe Bachleda-Blaszczak as 5 feet 6 inches tall and approximately 170 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes. Officials have not released additional details about what he may have been wearing when he was last seen or the circumstances leading up to his disappearance.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is asking the public for assistance as the search continues. Anyone who may have seen Bachleda-Blaszczak, encountered him while visiting the park, or has information that could help investigators is encouraged to contact park dispatch.
Officials specifically requested that tips be sent to grsm_dispatch@nps.gov. Search efforts remain active as authorities work to determine his whereabouts.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park draws millions of visitors each year and encompasses more than 500,000 acres of rugged mountain terrain along the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Search operations in the park often involve challenging conditions due to steep slopes, dense forests and remote backcountry areas.
Anyone with information that could assist in locating Marcin Bachleda-Blaszczak is urged to contact Great Smoky Mountains National Park dispatch as soon as possible.
Description of Missing Person:
- Name: Marcin Bachleda-Blaszczak
- Height: 5’6″
- Weight: 170 pounds
- Hair: Brown
- Eyes: Blue
- Last known clue: Vehicle located near Sugarlands Visitor Center.
Contact: grsm_dispatch@nps.gov
