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A California woman competing on a YouTube survival show was rescued nearly 18 hours after she went missing in a cold, rain-soaked Michigan forest over the weekend, authorities said.
The 36-year-old woman, whose identity has not been made public, disappeared in the Pigeon River Forest in Charlton Township at around 5 p.m. Friday after she left the designated base camp to search for water, the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office said.
When she failed to return, the hosts of the contests began to search for the woman on their own. After about 12 hours, the sheriff’s office said they called 911 around 5 a.m. Saturday for help.
Officials immediately launched a coordinated search effort involving multiple agencies.
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The woman did not suffer serious injuries during her overnight ordeal in the damp, cold Pigeon River Forest on Sept. 6, 2025, authorities said. (Michigan State Police Seventh Division)
A Michigan State Police helicopter spotted the missing woman wandering deep within a swampy area of the forest at around 10:40 a.m., the sheriff’s office said, adding that she had been lost for nearly 18 hours in the cold and rain.
The missing woman was located after she spent nearly 18 hours lost in Pigeon River Forest on Sept. 6, 2025, authorities said. (Michigan State Police Seventh Division)
Aerial footage from the helicopter shows the woman staring up at her rescuers and waving her hands.
Ground teams helped walk the woman safely out of Pigeon River Forest on Sept. 6, 2025. (Otsego County Emergency Management)
The helicopter crew guided ground teams to the woman’s location, and she was able to walk out of the forest on her own.
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Medical teams evaluated her at the scene and determined that she suffered no serious injuries.
Multiple agencies launched a search for the missing woman in Pigeon River Forest on Sept. 6, 2025. (Otsego County Emergency Management)
Authorities did not immediately name the show or say who was hosting the competition.
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It was unclear whether the woman would continue to compete on the show.