After exerting every possible effort for nine days around the clock, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that they planned to scale back their search for Daming Xu, the University math professor who left for a day hike Nov. 4 and never returned.
In the past week, more than 200 people have searched the area around Cougar Reservoir, where Xu told his family he was hiking. The sheriff’s office has now taken down its on-site command post and has scaled back its ground search team, calling the search “passive” instead of “active.” Search and Rescue Coordinator John Miller said the smaller search team would continue combing the area as weather allows.
“The search is still going on,” said Miller. “We’re still using a variety of resources, and we’ll never close it.”
After consulting with medical personnel, sheriff’s officials decided it was unlikely Xu would be found alive, given weather conditions. It is believed Xu left without food, water or warm clothing.
“We’re still hoping,” said Xu’s wife, Xi, from her Eugene home, “but it doesn’t look good.”
Xi and the rest of Xu’s family released a statement expressing their gratitude to those who helped in the search and to those who supported them.
“We hope that this event might save future lives by encouraging others to take basic safety precautions when enjoying Oregon’s beautiful yet unforgiving wilderness,” the statement read.
The sheriff’s office has posted laminated fliers at several trails around the reservoir, and volunteer search teams and tracking dogs will continue to look for Xu. Sgt. Clint Riley said experienced mountaineers and hikers who know the area have also volunteered to continue the search.
“We don’t care who finds him, we just want him found,” Miller said.
At the University, mathematics professor Qi-Man Shao is currently serving as a substitute teacher for Xu’s Introduction to Mathematical Methods of Statistics I class. Shao was unavailable for comment.
A statement released Nov. 12 by University Public and Media Relations said counselors at the University Counseling Center and at the Office of Student Life will be available to talk with affected students, faculty or staff.
“All of us at the University of Oregon join the Xu family and our community with our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time,” said University President Dave Frohnmayer in the statement.
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