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Alec Luhn, a 38-year-old American journalist from Wisconsin, has gone missing while hiking in Norway's Folgefonna National Park. Luhn, an experienced hiker, was reported missing by his wife, Veronika Silchenko, after he failed to return from a solo four-day hike and missed his flight home on Monday (August 4).
Luhn last communicated with Silchenko on Thursday (July 31) before starting his hike. He planned to stay at two mountain cabins, DNT Holmaskjer and DNT Breidablikk, and was expected to end his trip at Arsnes Kai bus station on Monday morning. Silchenko initially wasn't concerned due to the patchy phone signals in the mountains, but she panicked when Luhn didn't arrive in Bergen for his flight to London.
The search for Luhn began on Monday and has expanded, involving around 30 volunteers, search and rescue dogs, and drones. Ingeborg Thorsland, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Red Cross, stated that heavy rainfall and difficult terrain have complicated the search efforts. The operation has been temporarily halted due to weather conditions and will resume Wednesday morning (August 6).
Luhn, who is currently based in London, has worked for major outlets like National Geographic, The Guardian, and The New York Times. He is known for his dedication to climate journalism, focusing on the Arctic and ice-related topics. Silchenko described him as "strong and adventurous," emphasizing his careful planning and preparedness for such trips.