Missing hiker's bag found on trail
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer
Searchers yesterday found a green mesh bag containing bamboo shoots that has been identified by family members as the one used by the 78-year-old 'Aiea hiker who has been missing since Sunday afternoon.
Honolulu Police Department photo
Searchers have been combing the hillside around the Nu'uanu and Judd trails in search of George Y. Morishima, who was last seen by hikers at 5:45 p.m. Sunday.
George Morishima, 78, was reported missing Sunday night.
Yesterday the search resumed at 8 a.m. with dogs along the Nu'uanu Trail. The mesh bag was found far from where Morishima had been last seen, said Phil Camero, of the police missing person detail. "The location of the bag (on the lower part of the trail) is quite far from where he was last seen," Camero said. "It was not on the upper ridge trail."
Yesterday's search ended at 5:30 p.m. Firefighters will resume the search today, with searchers from other agencies on standby, officials said.
When other hikers last saw Morishima, he was wearing a white button-down shirt, baseball pants and a baseball cap and was carrying a machete, Camero said. Other hikers say they did not see Morishima carrying a canteen or a bag with food.
Officials remain hopeful for a positive outcome.
"We have personnel searching the area, but nothing else was found," he said. "We're always hopeful for a positive outcome, but with each passing day, the reality of us finding Mr. Morishima alive, gets bleaker."
About 50 to 60 people, including 15 members of Morishima's family, firefighters, police, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, police canine unit and volunteers from the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club searched along the Judd Trail yesterday.
Morishima's car was found parked along Nu'uanu Pali Drive and family members believe he was gathering bamboo shoots and fungus for a traditional Japanese New Year's Day feast.
