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Contact: Edie Smith, Spokesperson Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 284 State Street 41 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333

Media representatives can receive press releases via e-mail.

Telephone: work (207) 592-4348

Fax: (207) 287-6395

• Maine Wildlife Park Press Releases
• Previous Press Releases for 2009
• Previous Press Releases for 2008

February 24, 2009

Snowmobiler Reported Missing After Three Days Calls Friend

Augusta - A New Hampshire man reported missing by a friend after he failed to return to her Brownville home as planned on Sunday called his friend late this afternoon, February 24, 2009, to say he was OK and on his way back to her house.

Kevin O’Neal, 44, of Seabrook, N.H., had told his friend on Saturday, February 21, that he would be snowmobiling from Pittston Farm via Kokadjo to Millinocket to meet friends there, and that he would be back in Brownville on Sunday, according to MWS Lt. Pat Dorian.

The Maine Warden Service received a missing persons report at 10:15 a.m. today, and was informed that Mr. O’Neal was last seen at Pittston Farm between noon and 2 p.m. Saturday.

Mr. O'Neal left his vehicle and trailer at a friend’s house in Brownville, and set out snowmobiling on a bright light blue older model 800 Polaris snowmobile on Saturday morning.

Upon receiving the emergency call, the Maine Warden Service initiated a massive search from Mr. O’Neal on Monday morning. A MWS pilot flew for more than three hours checking snowmobile trails from Pittston Farm to Kokadjo, from Kokadjo to Millinocket, and from Brownville to Pittston Farm. At least 10 Game Wardens searched main snowmobile trails, many that had not been broken open yet since Sunday/Monday’s snowstorm. Snow in many locations still is four to five feet deep.

The friend notified the Maine Warden Service late this afternoon that Mr. O’Neal had called from Big Lake Equipment, a snowmobile repair shop in Greenville, and was en route back to Brownville. She told the Maine Warden Service that Mr. O’Neal had been snowmobiling the last few days and may have stayed with friends along the way, according to Lt. Dorian.

MWS Game Wardens were en route to speak to Mr. O’Neal this evening. The incident remains under investigation.

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