Mario Tama/Getty Images
- A congressional staffer who was reported missing after going on a campus trip died, authorities said.
- Authorities searched for Alexander Lofgren and his girlfriend for days at Dead Valley National Park.
- Lofgren, 32, was a caseworker for Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
An Arizona congressional aide – who was reported missing after going on a camping trip in Death Valley National Park in California – was pronounced dead, according to authorities and reports.
Alexander Lofgren, 32, and his girlfriend Emily Henkel,27, of Arizona were first reported missing on Tuesday, April 6, according to a press release from the Inyo County Sheriff's Office. The couple was expected to return from their trip on April 4.
On Wednesday, officials searched for the couple near the park, and attractions along the Death Valley Highway 190. They also used "Lofgren's backcountry itinerary" for guidance during the search, the press release said.
After a days-long search, the couple was finally located on Thursday afternoon "on a very steep ledge" in a remote area of the park, according to the press release.
However, due to "their extreme location," the crews' rescue attempt failed. Authorities were able to find Lofgren and Henkel after they first discovered their missing vehicle, a white Subaru, around 11 a.m that day.
"Two flat tires, headed to Mormon Point, have three days' worth of water," the note said, according to the press release, adding thatwas a "crucial tip" for their search. The press release also said that the location of the vehicle on Lofgren's itinerary.
On Friday, April 9, after rescue crews "were able to access the remote and steep ledge missing campers Alexander Lofgren and Emily Henkel were located...via aerial reconnaissance," the press release said. Officials said Lofgren died, and his girlfriend, Henkel, was transported for "medical treatment by Lemoore Naval Air Station."
"This has been a tremendously difficult operation in a very unforgiving geographic area of Inyo County, I sincerely hope for healing and recovery for all involved," Inyo County Sheriff Jeff Hollowell said in the press release.
-Raul M. Grijalva (@RepRaulGrijalva) April 9, 2021
Lofgren worked as a caseworker for Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva.
"Words cannot begin to describe how heartbroken I am over the death of Alex Lofgren, a dedicated caseworker in my district office," Grijalva tweeted on Friday. "Alex will forever be a part of our family, and my heart is with his family, his loving partner Emily, and his colleagues who mourn him today."