Thirty people fanned out on Friday October the 2nd searching for 67-year old Albert Lusk, who disappeared twelve days ago. The group included members of the Red Cross, firemen, members of the Fuerza Publica, and the Organismo de investigacion Judicial (OIJ). Sniffer dogs were brought in capable of finding both survivors, and forensic remains of those who have perished. Searchers combed the mountains of San Rafael de Heredia, in the area of Concepcion, along the Brena Mora Road, where his Toyota was parked. All that searchers found was a possible bamboo walking stick, probably used by Lusk during his hike.

Lusk has lived in Costa Rica for ten years and is well known in the San Rafael area. It was apparently customary to see him doing almost daily walks near and within the Braulio Carillo National Park. His car was found on the Brena Mora Road, the only clue besides the walking stick that authorities have to work with. A neighbor commented on Lusk’s FaceBook page, “I would never walk in that park alone. People have disappeared there before, or have been fatally injured. It is known throughout the area as Danger Park.”
Lusk has no family in Costa Rica, but his ex-wife, daughter, and daughter’s boyfriend all travelled to Costa Rica to assist as they could in the search. They returned to the United States on Saturday, sadly with no information about the fate of their family member.
Lusk was seen for the last time by an employee of his, as Lusk left by car to complete his usual 90-minute hike to a favorite waterfall of the Turu River, in an area known as cerro Turu, a densely forested area but one with which Lusk was very familiar. Neighbors commented that Lusk’s hike had become much more treacherous recently due to heavy rains and mud slides.

The most famous case of a disappeared hiker was that of National Geographic explorer Cody Dial, who lost his life in Corcovado National Park and whose remains were not discovered for two years. One of Lusk’s neighbors commented about his disappearance, “You can just get swallowed up in Costa Rica. You go into the park as usual, sometimes even as a very educated and experienced hiker, WHOOSH! You are gone.”
Anyone having information on Lusk’s disappearance should contact the OIJ at 800-80-00-645, or on WhatsApp at 880-00-645. His family has not given up hope of finding him

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