4 p.m. update:
Nante Niemi was safely located at 1:30 p.m. Central Standard Time this afternoon by search party volunteers approximately two miles from his campsite. He had braved the elements by taking shelter under a log where he was ultimately found. He is in good health and reunited with his family.
The Michigan State Police wish to thank all of the volunteers and support services that assisted in locating this child.
Original release:
ONTONAGON COUNTY - Troopers from the Michigan State Police (MSP) Wakefield Post are leading the investigation and search efforts surrounding a missing 8-year-old Wisconsin boy last seen Saturday, May 6 at approximately 1 p.m., while camping with his family in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park near Wakefield in the western Upper Peninsula.
Preliminary reports indicate Nante Niemi was walking, gathering firewood for their campsite when he went missing. Nante is a white male, approximately 4’2”, 70-80 lbs and was wearing a white sweatshirt, grey sweatpants, and black boots. He has blonde hair and brown eyes.
More than 150 search and rescue personnel from MSP and local police partners, including nine K9s, are currently in the roughly 40 square-mile area on foot with some in the air and on water as weather conditions allow. The terrain is very remote and hilly with a lot of standing water due to the time of the year. Several seasonal roads are still impassable because of snow depth.
The MSP thanks residents for their offers of assistance with the search but is asking the public to please stay away from the area.
A MSP Public Information Officer is enroute to the scene. For now, updates will be provided on the MSP Eighth District Twitter feed @MSPEighthDist. Anyone with information on Nante’s location is asked to call 911.
