Journalist from Wisconsin found safe after he was reported missing in Norway

Alec Luhn, 38, went missing during a solo backpacking trip

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Alec Luhn. Photo courtesy of the University of Wisconsin-Madison

An award-winning journalist from Wisconsin has been found safe after he went missing during a solo backpacking trip in Norway.

Alec Luhn, 38, was reported missing on Monday. The Stoughton native was last seen on July 31 when he left for a solo backpacking trip in Norway, according to a social media post from his family. He was headed to a national park in Norway and planned to finish his trip Monday morning. He was reported missing after he failed to arrive for his plane.

He was found conscious Wednesday morning with injuries to his legs, according to the Norway news outlet VG. He was then flown to a local hospital, the outlet reported. 

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A Norwegian Red Cross post on social media said Luhn was located by a helicopter crew.

His sister, Drew Gaddis, also posted on Facebook that he has been found safe.

“Not many details yet, but he is in overall good health and being transported to Bergen (Norway) now by helicopter,” the post said.

According to The Guardian, a volunteer search and rescue team from the Red Cross, police, dogs and drones were used in the search, which twice was suspended because of inclement weather conditions.

Gaddis wrote that thousands of people helped in the search effort. 

Luhn graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2010 and has worked for several outlets, including The Atlantic, The Guardian, National Geographic, The New York Times and TIME, according to a UW-Madison news article. The environmental reporter won the 2024 American Association for the Advancement of Science Kavli Science Journalism Award.

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