He's fine: Kingston man found in Shine

KINGSTON — Ground searchers from four counties have stood down and are returning home, after a missing 75-year-old Kingston man was found in Jefferson County early Wednesday. He was uninjured.

Alfred Kenneth Engh left his home in the 26400 block of Port Gamble Road NE, around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. His family reported that he went for a hike, unaccompanied, on the trails located on Pope Resource property between NE State Highway 104 and State Highway 3 NE, south of the town of Port Gamble. He was reported missing at 5:38 p.m. when he didn’t return home.

Engh was found at a boat ramp off of Shine Road, in Jefferson County, just west of the Hood Canal Bridge, at approximately 7:50 a.m. Wednesday. Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies went to the boat ramp in response to a call from a concerned resident. He was examined by medics and released to his family, Kitsap County Sheriff's spokesman Deputy Scott Wilson reported.

Wilson said someone who knows Engh saw the man walking across the Hood Canal Bridge and didn’t think anything of it, until he heard a story on radio that Engh was reported missing and called the Sheriff’s Department.

Engh explained to deputies that he became tired after walking so far from home and decided to remain in place and rest, according to Wilson.

The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue Unit coordinated a multifaceted search for Engh involving aviation, ground, horseback and canine teams. Fifty-four Search & Rescue personnel searched Pope Resource’s property trail system throughout the night. Assisting were volunteer search units from Clallam, Kitsap, Mason and Thurston counties, including Washington Explorer Search and Rescue teams, All Breeds Canines Search and Rescue, Northwest Bloodhounds Search and Rescue, German Shepherd Search Dogs of Washington State, and Olympic Mountain Rescue.

Wilson said the “lesson learned” is to use the buddy system when hiking — always go with another person — and take a cell phone.

An Alfred Engh of Kingston received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 from the state Parks and Recreation Commission, for volunteering more than 3,000 hours on restorartion efforts at Fort Flagler State Park.

According to the commission website, Engh started volunteering with Washington State Parks after retiring from the Navy in 2001. "Four days a week, he has made the 45-minute drive to Fort Flagler to put in six- to eight-hour days. Engh assisted the Construction and Maintenance Team and the Friends of Fort Flagler in any project they had going, including painting several park buildings, re-roofing four buildings, digging under buildings to prepare for foundations, restoration of the 90-foot flag pole at the parade ground, figuring out and directing the placement of the 60-ton anti-aircraft gun and many other tasks involving grounds maintenance, property repairs and vehicle operation."

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