Grand Canyon: Search In Progress For Missing Man

Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
Search In Progress For Missing Man

Investigators are looking for Klaus Lauterbach, a 20-year-old German national who hasn’t been seen since he got off a commercial shuttle in the park on August 9th. The park received a call from the Flagstaff Police Department last Friday, advising that Lautherbach’s father had contacted them and reported him missing. His last contact with his son was on Saturday, August 8th, and he believed that the boy was heading to the park the next day. An investigation was immediately begun and rangers were able to confirm that Lauterbach had been seen getting out of a bus in front of Maswick Lodge that day. His itinerary in the park and plans after he left are unknown. Lauterbach is described as a white male, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing approximately 145 pounds. He has short brown hair and blue eyes. The park is asking for assistance from visitors who’ve visited the park since August 8th and might have seen Lauterbach. They’re asked to contact the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center at 928-638-7805.

Missing German-National Located
August 17, 2009

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – Klaus Lauterbach, the 20 year-old German-national that the Flagstaff Police Department and Grand Canyon National Park rangers have been attempting to locate since August 14, reported in to his family last night.

On the afternoon of Friday, August 14, rangers in Grand Canyon National Park received a report from the Flagstaff Police Department that Klaus Lauterbach had been reported missing by his father. Klaus’ father had last had contact with his son on August 8, and believed that Klaus was going to be visiting the Grand Canyon on Sunday, August 9.

An investigation into whether or not Mr. Lauterbach did visit the park determined that Mr. Lauterbach had been seen getting out of a commercial shuttle bus in front of Maswick Lodge on Sunday, August 9; but his itinerary while in the park and plans after he left were unknown. Park investigators then sought public assistance in determining where Mr. Lauterbach had been seen after stepping off the shuttle at Maswick Lodge.

Early this morning, the Flagstaff Police Department received notification from Klaus’ father that his son had called in via mobile phone, reporting that he was alive and well and on his way to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada as he continued his tour of North America.

The National Park Service would like to thank local and national media, as well as local communities, for their assistance in reaching out to the public for information about Mr. Lauterbach’s whereabouts.