A missing student has stunned rescuers by walking out of the woods after a six-day hunt and asking: “Are you looking for me?”
Dilan Shaan Ashar approached a search-and-rescue vehicle after an enormous operation involving drones, thermal cameras, dogs and dozens of emergency workers.
The “dehydrated and hungry” 22-year-old knocked on the driver’s window and asked the startled crew if they had been searching for him.
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He was immediately given medical attention before being reunited with his parents and older brother, as reported by Need To Know.
Dilan, a student at the University of Maryland in the US, vanished during the early hours of 2 October.
His family had last spoken to him at around 6 pm the previous evening.
CCTV showed him leaving his residence at approximately 2 am wearing a black university hoodie, grey jogging bottoms and white trainers.
He was recorded again about 30 minutes later at the Terrapin Trail Garage on the College Park campus.
Dilan did not have his mobile phone, wallet or identification with him, causing police to become seriously concerned for his welfare.
His parents went to his residence later that morning but discovered he was not there.
University and county police then started searching the campus and surrounding area.
A drone was deployed over woodland near the parking garage the following day. Dog teams were brought in to search the same area that evening.
Almost 50 first responders and nine dogs later carried out a systematic 110-acre search.
Officers also repeatedly checked parking garages, wooded boundaries, nearby parks, Lake Artemesia and the university golf course.
More than 1,000 security cameras are said to have been examined as the investigation expanded.
Students plastered the campus and surrounding community with posters bearing Dilan’s face, while his family released an emotional appeal asking the public to help bring him home.
At around 7:30 pm on Wednesday (7 Oct), Dilan emerged from woodland near Lot 4, opposite the university’s Xfinity Centre.
He approached a vehicle belonging to Howard County Search and Rescue, knocked on its window and asked: “Are you looking for me?”
Emergency crews found him dehydrated, hungry, frightened and dishevelled.
An ambulance was called, and he was taken for further medical care.
Police believe Dilan had been moving around the woodland while he was missing because extensive earlier searches of the area had failed to locate him.
There is no suggestion that anybody else was involved and investigators have not disclosed what led to his disappearance.
They intend to speak with him more fully once he is medically ready.
His family said: “Dilan is safe, and our family is together again.
“As his parents and brother, we can’t fully put into words what that means to us.”
They thanked university leaders, detectives and the local, state and federal agencies involved in the operation.
The family added: “Dilan especially wants to thank the students who put up flyers all over campus and the community.
“We will never forget.”
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