THE AMERICAN tourist missing from the Glencolumbkille area of Co Donegal since Saturday has been found alive.
Members of Donegal Mountain Rescue, local volunteers and a garda found Kelly Jones (41) in the old rectory in the Glen Valley at 12.30pm yesterday.
The rectory is just across the river approximately 600 metres from the Glencolumbkille Gaelic pitch which has been the headquarters for the search operation. It is now a holiday home whose owners use it a couple of times a year.
Ms Jones’s condition was described by gardaí as “weak and disorientated” and she had a few grazes.
She was flown by a Coast Guard helicopter to Sligo General Hospital, where her condition was described as not life-threatening.
Her father Ricky, who was informed at his Georgia home that she was found, is due in Ireland today or tomorrow.
Texas-born Ms Jones was positively identified at the Malinmore hostel where she stayed on Friday afternoon. There was a subsequent sighting at 5.30pm on Saturday but there was some doubt cast on that identity. Gardaí and rescuers however are now satisfied that was a positive sighting as it was close to where she was found.
Ms Jones, who was examined by a doctor before she was flown to hospital, had difficulty recalling how she was in the house where there was furniture, bedding and running water but no food.
Garda Sgt Anthony Arnold, one of the officers in charge of the search, said: “Her voice was very weak. She doesn’t know how long she was there but we believe it could have been for up to three days but we are not certain where she was before that. She was quite disoriented. The old rectory is about 200 metres from the Saturday evening sighting.”
Donegal Mountain Rescue team spokesman Brian Murray, who took part in the search which covered more than 30sq km, said: “She was in a state of hypothermia and that could have affected her attempts to remember how she got there. She is a very lucky lady that she was found still alive. Obviously the conditions inside the rectory helped. But usually on mountain and hill searches by the time you reach day five rescuers start thinking they are looking for a body.”