Search now in Day 6 for Irvine man missing on Mt. Baldy

The search continued Friday, Dec. 13 for an Irvine man who went missing while hiking Mt. Baldy as 73 search and rescue volunteers from 10 counties in California helped in the mission, authorities said.

Sreenivas “Sree” Mokkapati, 52, and three others went on a hike to Mt. Baldy Summit early on Sunday, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. During that hike, Mokkapati was separated from the group and hasn’t been seen since.

Soon after his colleagues returned to their car they called the authorities. Since then, search and rescue volunteers have done a fierce search through the frigid terrain.

“Air support is limited to patrolling the mountain,” the San Bernardino County Sheriff Department said in an update Friday though adding that high winds have restricted helicopters from dropping search teams to higher elevations.

The searchers have increased over the days. As of Friday, searchers had come from Mono, San Mateo, Fresno, Marin, Tulare, Ventura, Contra Costa, Riverside, Los Angeles and Kern counties had to help, the department said.

“Life Bible Fellowship Church in Upland has graciously provided resources for the Mokkapati Family, housing for (search and rescue) volunteers to rest and an abundance of parking for the large number of vehicles involved in the search operation,” the department said in the update.

To help in the search, the Angeles National Forest closed parts of the Mt. Baldy area which is expected to last until the rescue operation continues.