Isla Mujeres, Q.R. — An elderly man who was reported lost in the jungle of Isla Mujeres has been located. The man, 70-year-old José Chi Ruiz, was found Thursday by a land search group.
The group of four searchers located the elderly José sitting on the ground where he spent the night after becoming lost. He was found near the border of Benito Juarez. According to preliminary information, it was around 10:00 a.m. Thursday when the Cancun International Rescue Brigade located Chi Ruiz.
By the time he was found, he’d been missing for 48 hours. His wife reported him as lost after the pair went on their tricycle to an area to cut wood. While her husband went into the jungle, she waited on the side of the road. When he didn’t come back, she made the report.
Chi Ruiz is said to have diabetes and no sight in one eye and likely became disorientated in the thick woods. The rescue brigade began looking for him Wednesday, but had to stop when they ran out of daylight. They resumed their search Thursday morning, locating the man after he responded to them calling his name.
He was helped back to the road where a stretcher and ambulance waited to transport him to hospital for an evaluation. He was reported to be in good condition considering he spent the night outside in the jungle. Both José and his wife are long time residents of Isla Mujeres mainland.