UPDATE: 10 a.m.
The couple has been found safe in Mexico. Los Angeles police said they would be reunited with their families. A Facebook post from the couple’s family said Aaron Morganstein and Masha Mitkova were at the sand dunes at Osborne Lookout at the Imperial Sand Dunes on Sunday (their last wifi signal) and they went on a day hike to take pictures. The couple got lost; they could see a red light flashing in the distance so they started walking in that direction. They spent five days walking in the desert without food and little water. In order conserve their water they also drank their own urine. They saw helicopters flying, and actually were able to light a fire to get attention, but no one saw them.
They walked all the way to the cell tower until they ran into some maintenance workers at the tower who then contacted the Border Patrol. The Border Patrol contacted family and the investigator with Los Angeles Police took them back to their car at Osborne Lookout.
Although Joshua Tree National Park rangers have not found any signs of a couple from Los Angeles who were believed to have been headed to the park, family friends say they have had multiple leads come in due to media coverage. Aaron Morganstein and Mariya “Masha” Mitkova told friends they were going camping in Joshua Tree National Park last weekend; their friends reported them missing when they did not show up for work Monday. Mitkova’s brother said they started an air search for the missing couple. Park rangers have searched roads and campgrounds in Joshua Tree National park and in the Imperial Dunes area for them without success. Anyone with information on the couple should call the Los Angeles Police at 213-996-1800.
