STORRS, Conn. — A retired Storrs woman hiking Japan’s Kumano Kodo trail earlier this month has reportedly gone missing, and her family has launched a desperate search to find her.
Patricia Wu-Murad is said to be an experience lifelong hiker who traveled to Japan and was reported missing by local authorities on April 10 after she never reached a checkpoint in her hike.
The family said the U.S. Embassy notified them on April 14 of her disappearance following a 72-hour search by local authorities.
Julie Murad-Caruso, her sister-in-law and family spokesperson, told the Hartford Courant that Wu-Murad was several weeks into a pilgrimage and wouldn’t have encountered any problems on the trek unless there was an unexpected event such as a mudslide or avalanche.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal told FOX61 in a statement that he has spoken with Wu-Murad's family and he is "determined to seek every possible source of search and rescue to aid her."
"I have contacted the State Department and the White House to assist and will continue helping the Murad family through every avenue available," he said. "I am deeply concerned and am praying for Pattie’s safe return to her family."
Murad-Caruso urged local emergency responders to extend their search. She said officials waited too long to notify them and now the battery on Patty's phone has died.
Blumenthal's office is working to retrieve data from the phone through Apple.
“We’re trying to get the attention of anyone with clout,” Murad-Caruso said. “Everybody’s trying to keep their spirits up…We trust Pattie, We know how smart she is, how resilient.”
The family launched a GoFundMe page to help pay for the ongoing search. As of Monday evening, it had raised more than $90,000 of the $100,000 goal.
Murphy Murad, Wu-Murad’s daughter and organizer of the fundraiser, said in an update on the page that her mother had been following the Kohechi route of the Kumano Kodo trail. She was last seen on April 10 checking out of the Mandokoro guesthouse.
According to officials, it would have taken Wu-Murad about 7 to 9 hours to trek to the next guest house, but she never arrived, Murad wrote.
According to the GoFundMe page, Wu-Murad had planned to meet with family friends at Ryozen-ji Temples on April 16.
“Our family friends went to the location hoping she would show up but after waiting for a few hours, walking around both temples and showing Pattie’s picture around, they came out empty-handed,” Murad wrote.
Wu-Murad’s husband, Kirk Murad, told the Hartford Courant via text message that family and friends have shown them tremendous support during “this nightmare.”
“Pattie has been my best friend since 1986. We married in 1990. I want to celebrate our 33rd anniversary next month with her and both our families,” Murad wrote, according to the Courant.
Murad-Caruso told the newspaper that her sister-in-law is a graduate of the UConn School of Business and a recent retiree of United Technologies.
A spokesperson with the U.S. State Department said they are aware of a U.S. citizen missing in Japan and they are working with local authorities to carry out search efforts.
"The Department of State has no higher priority than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad. We stand ready to provide appropriate assistance to U.S. citizens in need and to their families," the statement said.
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