Modern Day Treasure Hunts Part 3 of 3
It seems Forrest Fenn's treasure hunt hasn't been all glittering coins and hotel packages. Link
The author, who has been tempting treasure hunters with clues to a $2 million dollar treasure in New Mexico, has inspired hundreds of hunters. Sadly, Randy Bilyeu, 54, from Colorado has gone missing searching for the loot.
He went missing over three weeks ago.
He charted a helicopter last Thursday after the New Mexico State Police decided to call off the hunt for Bilyeu which was going on outside Santa Fe.
Fenn has called the situation "terrible" and quite obviously feels very responsible. However, Fenn claims "The treasure is not hidden in a dangerous place," Fenn said. "I've said many times not to look for the treasure any place where an 80-year-old man couldn't put it."
Tom Cremeens, the flight paramedic who found Bilyeu's raft and dog, believes that "there was an event where he collapsed and drowned". Currently, they are doing fly-overs as there is no evidence of Bilyeu on the ground. According to Creemens, "We don't know if he's still alive or not".
Sadly, Bilyeu isn't the first treasure hunter to go missing. In March 2013 a woman from Texas was drawn to search after a national television report about the treasure. She got lost searching near Bandelier National Monument and spent the night in rugged terrain.
This case prompted officials to warn searchers to be prepared for the outdoors and Fenn backed this statement up, advising treasure hunters to wait until Spring and the area becomes more manageable.