Latest news with #UKHealthCare
New York Post
08-07-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Tourist who missed Norwegian cruise ship discovered dead on mountain trail in Alaska
A tourist who went missing after she failed to return to her cruise ship last week has been found dead. Marites Buenafe, 62, of Kentucky, was visiting Alaska's capital city when she did not return from a hike. The Alaska Department of Public Safety said her body was found by an Alaska Army National Guard helicopter crew late Thursday below the ridge line of Gold Ridge. Buenafe is listed as a doctor at UK HealthCare, a system of hospitals and clinics of the University of Kentucky. State troopers and Juneau Mountain Rescue were able to recover Buenafe's body with help from Temsco Helicopters and the National Guard. Marites Buenafe, 62, of Kentucky, was visiting Alaska's capital city when she did not return from a hike. ALASKA STATE TROOPERS Her family has been notified of her death and her body will be sent to the state's medical examiner's office for an autopsy, the Associated Press reported. On July 1, the Juneau Police Department heard from Buenafe's relatives that she had left for a hike that morning and had plans to take a popular tourist tram partially up a mountain overlooking downtown Juneau before walking to Gastineau Peak and Gold Ridge, according to the state Department of Public Safety. She had gotten off the Norwegian Bliss and did not return to the vessel by its departure time. Norwegian Bliss cruise ship docked oh the west side of Manhattan after a week at sea. John Roca 'We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the guest,' a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 'Our CARE team is providing support to the guest's family and our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.'
Fox News
07-07-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Tourist who missed Norwegian cruise ship discovered dead on mountain trail in Alaska
A tourist who went missing after she failed to return to her cruise ship last week has been found dead. Marites Buenafe, 62, of Kentucky, was visiting Alaska's capital city when she did not return from a hike. The Alaska Department of Public Safety said her body was found by an Alaska Army National Guard helicopter crew late Thursday below the ridge line of Gold Ridge. Buenafe is listed as a doctor at UK HealthCare, a system of hospitals and clinics of the University of Kentucky. State troopers and Juneau Mountain Rescue were able to recover Buenafe's body with help from Temsco Helicopters and the National Guard. Her family has been notified of her death and her body will be sent to the state's medical examiner's office for an autopsy, the Associated Press reported. On July 1, the Juneau Police Department heard from Buenafe's relatives that she had left for a hike that morning and had plans to take a popular tourist tram partially up a mountain overlooking downtown Juneau before walking to Gastineau Peak and Gold Ridge, according to the state Department of Public Safety. She had gotten off the Norwegian Bliss and did not return to the vessel by its departure time. Norwegian Cruise Line did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Daily Mail
05-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Body of cruise passenger is discovered after she failed to return to the boat at Alaska port
A cruise ship passenger's body was discovered late Thursday in the rugged terrain above Alaska 's capital city. Marites Buenafe, 62, of Kentucky, ventured off her cruise ship for a hike near Juneau, before being found dead below the ridgeline of Gold Ridge after she failed to return to the vessel. Her disappearance had sparked an extensive search involving state troopers, Juneau Mountain Rescue, and air support from both Temsco Helicopters and the Alaska Army National Guard. It was a National Guard helicopter crew that ultimately spotted her body in the remote alpine area, bringing a grim end to the search effort. Her remains were recovered with the help of rescue teams and air support, officials said. The Alaska Department of Public Safety reported that Buenafe's next of kin have been notified and that her body will be transported to the state medical examiner's office for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Buenafe, an physician with UK HealthCare, was on a family vacation when she told relatives she planned to ride the Mount Roberts Tramway and hike the trail from Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak while the sprawling cruise ship docked in Juneau. She was last seen on security footage around 7:30 a.m. on July 1, leaving the buildings at the upper station of the Mount Roberts Tramway, according to a bulletin issued by Alaska State Troopers on Wednesday. Her absence was discovered after she failed to return to the ship before its scheduled 1:30 p.m. departure. After confirming she had not re-boarded, her family alerted authorities, prompting a multi-agency search effort. A Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson later confirmed the search for the missing doctor. 'An active search is ongoing, and we are providing assistance to local authorities as appropriate. Our CARE team is providing support to the guest's family, and our thoughts are with them during this difficult time,' the luxury cruise line spokesperson said. Alaska State Troopers led the search efforts, with support from Juneau Mountain Rescue, Juneau Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and search-and-rescue dogs from Southeast Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search (SEADOGS), The New York Times reported. Teams of volunteers searched the local Mount Roberts area on foot, as well as deploying drones and helicopters. However, officials noted that poor weather limited the effectiveness of air operations. Buenafe was on a family cruise when she told relatives she planned to ride the Mount Roberts Tramway and hike the trail from Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak while the boat stopped at a port in Juneau The search was concentrated in the mountains just south of downtown Juneau, which Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety emphasized is not considered a remote area. Though popular with tourists and locals, the trail winds through steep and densely wooded terrain that can quickly become dangerous due to unpredictable mountain weather. 'Backcountry travel in Alaska, even close to town, can present serious challenges,' Alaska State Troopers said in a statement. 'We urge anyone venturing into these areas to hike with a partner, carry communication gear, and leave a detailed plan with someone.' A description for the missing woman was issued after her disappearance, she was was described as 5 feet tall, approximately 118 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes. The Norwegian Bliss continued its scheduled route, with upcoming stops in Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, and Victoria before returning to Seattle.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Horror as woman, 62, vanishes while on family cruise excursion in Alaska
A family cruise turned into a nightmare after a 62-year-old woman disappeared while hiking alone during a port stop in Juneau, Alaska. Marites Buenafe, 62, of Kentucky, was reported missing on Tuesday after she failed to return to the Norwegian Bliss cruise ship following a solo hike on Mount Roberts. Buenafe, an physician with UK HealthCare, was on a family vacation when she told relatives she planned to ride the Mount Roberts Tramway and hike the trail from Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak while the sprawling cruise ship docked in Juneau. She was last seen on security footage around 7:30 a.m. on July 1, leaving the buildings at the upper station of the Mount Roberts Tramway, according to a bulletin issued by Alaska State Troopers on Wednesday. Her absence was discovered after she failed to return to the ship before its scheduled 1:30 p.m. departure. After confirming she had not reboarded, her family alerted authorities, prompting a multi-agency search effort. A Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson later confirmed the search for the missing doctor. 'An active search is ongoing, and we are providing assistance to local authorities as appropriate. Our CARE team is providing support to the guest's family, and our thoughts are with them during this difficult time,' the luxury cruise line spokesperson said. Alaska State Troopers are leading the extensive search, with support from Juneau Mountain Rescue, Juneau Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard, and search-and-rescue dogs from Southeast Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search (SEADOGS), The New York Times reported. Teams of volunteers have been searching the Mount Roberts area on foot, as well as deploying drones and helicopters. However, officials noted that poor weather has limited the effectiveness of air operations. 'We remain optimistic that we will find Marites alive,' Austin McDaniel, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety, said Thursday. The search is concentrated in the mountains just south of downtown Juneau, which McDaniel emphasized is not considered a remote area. Though popular with tourists and locals, the trail winds through steep and densely wooded terrain that can quickly become dangerous due to unpredictable mountain weather. 'Backcountry travel in Alaska, even close to town, can present serious challenges,' Alaska State Troopers said in a statement. 'We urge anyone venturing into these areas to hike with a partner, carry communication gear, and leave a detailed plan with someone.' Buenafe was on a family cruise when she told relatives she planned to ride the Mount Roberts Tramway and hike the trail from Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak while the boat stopped at a port in Juneau Buenafe is described as 5 feet tall, approximately 118 pounds, with short black hair and brown eyes. Norwegian Cruise Line said it is continuing to work closely with authorities and that its CARE team remains in contact with Buenafe's family. The Norwegian Bliss has continued its scheduled route, with upcoming stops in Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, and Victoria before returning to Seattle. As of Thursday evening, Buenafe had not been found. Authorities are urging anyone who may have seen her on the trail or in the Mount Roberts area on July 1 to contact Alaska State Troopers in Juneau at (907) 465-4000, referencing case number AK25063914. Search efforts remain active and will continue as conditions allow.
New York Times
03-07-2025
- New York Times
Cruise Ship Passenger Is Missing After Going for a Hike in Alaska
A cruise ship passenger from Kentucky who went for a hike on Tuesday on a trail around Juneau, Alaska, remained missing on Thursday as rescue crews searched for her by land and air. Dogs, helicopters and search teams were continuing an exhaustive search effort for the passenger, Dr. Marites Buenafe, 62, the authorities said. She was identified by her employer as a physician at UK HealthCare in Lexington, Ky. Dr. Buenafe was reported missing at around 3:20 p.m. on Tuesday after she had failed to return to the cruise ship in time for its 1:30 p.m. departure, the Alaska Department of Public Safety said in a statement and in a missing persons bulletin. The morning she went missing Dr. Buenafe told her family in text messages that she was going to ride a tram into the mountains and that she then planned to hike the trail from the Gold Ridge to Gastineau Peak, the agency said. She was last spotted on security footage leaving the buildings at the top stop of the Mount Roberts Tramway at around 7:30 a.m., Alaska State Troopers said in the bulletin. Several agencies, including the Juneau Mountain Rescue, the Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska National Guard and the Juneau Police Department, have been involved in the effort to find Dr. Buenafe, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety. 'We remain optimistic that we will find Marites alive,' Austin McDaniel, a spokesman for the public safety department, said on Thursday. The search effort has focused near downtown Juneau, 'in the mountains south of town,' which are not considered a remote area, Mr. McDaniel said. The trail is a popular hiking attraction, he added, and the public safety department conducts several search and rescues there every year. Alaska residents and visitors are encouraged to become familiar with the area and to pack well before going out on a trip, including by carrying extra clothing, food, water and a communications device, he said. People venturing into the backcountry are also advised to tell someone where they are going and when they can be expected to return. Mr. McDaniel cautioned that 'trips into Alaska's backcountry can go from expected easy day trips to very challenging with one wrong step or fall.'
