Mount Desert Island Search and Rescue
MDI SAR Home

Search and Rescue Missions (2000-present)

The majority of MDI SAR missions are in response to requests for assistance ("call outs") from Acadia National Park and the Maine Warden Service. MDI SAR also provides on-site SAR coverage on the first weekend of the month during peak visitor season (June-October) at Baxter State Park .

2004 Missions

Date Mission # MDI SAR members
who responded
Synopsis
June, 2005 Carry out 1 MDI SAR assisted in the carry out of a woman who fell and injured her ankle while hiking at Great Head.
June, 2005 Search 4 MDI SAR members were called to search for the driver of a car that rolled over just past the Blackwood Campground entrance. The subject was located at a friend's house prior to the beginning of the formal search.
June, 2005 Carry out 3 MDI SAR members assisted in the carry out of a woman who fell and injured her ankle while hiking the Triad trail.
May, 2005 Carry out 3 MDI SAR members assisted in the carry out of a woman who fell and injured her ankle while hiking the Beehive trail.
October 20, 2004 Recovery of deceased person 2 MDI SAR members assisted in the search for a 21-year old male at Otter Cliffs. The man went into the ocean to recover a climbing shoe and drowned.
10/21/04 Mount Desert Islander
October 4, 2004 Rescue of a fallen person at Bass Harbor Light

October 3, 2004 Carry out off of Beech Mountain

October 1, 2004 Rescue of a fallen person at Bass Harbor Light

September 7, 2004 Rescue of a fallen person at Otter Cliffs

September 7, 2004 Rescue of a fallen person in Baxter State Park 2 MDI SAR members and ANP rangers who were providing SAR coverage for Baxter State Park over the Labor Day weekend participated in the rescue of a woman who fell on Abol trail and had to be evacuated from the park by helicopter. See photos here .
August 12, 2004 Search for a missing person 1 MDI SAR was called on to assist with the search for a missing 17-year old female in the Addison area. The subject's car was found submerged. Her body was recovered a few days later.
July 29, 2004 Rescue of a fallen boy 4 A 13-year old male fell approximately 20 feet from cliffs near the Thunder Hole area in Acadia National Park. The subject was treated on scene, packaged into a basket litter and raised approximately 60 feet up a cliff face with a system of ropes and pulleys. The subject was airlifted to Eastern Maine Medical Center where he was treated for facial lacerations and released. The parents and a bystander who responded first to the fall were provided with harnesses and helmets and climbed (with a belay) up a steep section of rock using a Prussik rachet.
July 3, 2004 Search for missing person 5 A 15-year old male visitor to Acadia spent the night in the park after getting lost while running on the carriage road trails. The subject was found walking along the carriage road near Jordan Pond House by searchers the next morning.
June 28, 2004 Recovery of deceased person and carry out at Baxter State Park 4 Rockfall on the Cathedral trail in Baxter State Park killed one hiker and injured a second.
June 12, 2004 Search Acadia mountain.
May 29, 2004 Carry out off Beech Mountain 2 61-year old man fell on the trail and broke his ankle.
May 15, 2004 Recovery of deceased person 3 50-year old woman fell approximately 40 feet from the cliffs off of Ocean Drive.
March 4, 2004 Recovery of deceased person 6 Apparent suicide of a 21-year old Ohio man on Great Hill.
03/08/04 Mount Desert Islander

2003 Missions

Date Mission # MDI SAR members
who responded
Synopsis
June 8, 2003 Carry out off Dorr Mountain 4 Woman fell on the trail and injured her ankle.
June 3, 2003 Rescue of a fallen climber at Otter Cliffs 5 An 18-year old climber fell approximately 20 feet and suffered numerous injuries.
06/05/03 Mount Desert Islander
May 2-3, 2003 Search for missing person 7 A multi-day search was launched for a missing 30-year old Bar Harbor man. The subject was found deceased on Jordan Island near Winter Harbor several weeks following the organized search effort.
05/08/03 Mount Desert Islander

2002 Missions

Date Mission # MDI SAR members
who responded
Synopsis
October 11, 2002 Carry out off St. Sauveur Mountain 5
October 3, 2002 Carry out off Pemetic Mountain 3
September 1, 2002 On standby for potential rescue at Great Head sea cave
False alarm.
August 25, 2002 Technical rescue of injured woman off the Beehive 6
August 16, 2002 Carry out off Pemetic Mountain 5 Knee injury
August 13, 2002 Carry out off the Precipice Trail 6 20-year old male with heat exhaustion
August 12, 2002 On standby for man in distress on Gorge Trail
No rescue required
August 9, 2002 Call outs for simultaneous rescues at Valley Cove and Gorham Mountain
Both rescues resolved before team members arrived on scene
August 3, 2002 Recovery of deceased person 4 A man in his 20's suffered a fatal fall from the cliffs near Sand Beach.
July, 2002 Carry out off Gorham Mountain 1
July 26, 2002 Search for Alzeihemer’s patient in Caribou, Maine 2 Subject found alive.

2001 Missions

Date Mission # MDI SAR members
who responded
Synopsis
December 5, 2001 Search for missing woman in Portland, Maine 4 The body of Ms. Amy St. Laurent was found. Her murderer was subsequently caught and convicted.
November 8, 2001 Search for missing hunter in Waite, Maine 2 Missing hunter found before team members arrived on scene
October 13, 2001 Carry out off St. Sauveur Mountain 7
September, 2001 Carry out off Acadia Mountain 5 13 year old female with broken ankle
August 14, 2001 Carry out off the Precipice Trail 5 Woman fell and hurt her head and ankle
August 14, 2001 Search for missing camper 4 Immediately following the Precipice Trail carry out the team responded to a report of a missing man. Subject was later found at the family campsite.
August 7, 2001 Carry out off Acadia Mountain 8 60-year old man suffering from heat exhaustion
July 22, 2001 Carry out off Acadia Mountain 5 60-year old woman with broken ankle
July 13, 2001 Carry out off Pemetic Mountain 2 50-year old woman with broken ankle
July 4, 2001 Carry out off St. Sauveur Mountain 4 (additional team members stuck in Bar Harbor because of 4th of July Parade!) 70-year old male with medical emergency.

2000 Missions

Date Mission # MDI SAR members
who responded
Synopsis
December 31, 1999 - January 1, 2000 Millenium Sunrise 15 Assist Acadia National Park personnel with parking and crowd control at Sand Beach and Cadillac Mountain at the dawn of the new century.
September 11, 2000 Carry out off the Precipice Trail 2
August 5, 2000 Carry out off Penobscot Mountain 8
August 4, 2000 Fatal fall off the Beehive 5
July 17, 2000 Technical rescue from oceanside cliffs near Blackwoods campground 7
July 8, 2000 Carry out off Acadia Mountain 4
June 2000 Carry out off Sargent Mountain 1
May 21, 2000 Carry out from Canyon Brook Trail 8 17-year old with hairline fracture of the tibia
April 15, 2000 Carry out from Sand Beach 4