California rescue team finds hiker missing for 30 hours — after bumping into Jay Leno during search

A California search and rescue team found an elderly hiker who had been missing for 30 hours — and they happened to run into TV legend Jay Leno along the way.

Ki Soo Yang, a “very fit, experienced, and prepared 78-year-old hiker,” was reported missing on Saturday after he got separated from his group while climbing Mount Waterman in Los Angeles County, officials said .

The San Dimas Mountain Rescue crew, who was called in to assist 12 hours into the search, loaded up Sunday morning and landed at Newcomb’s Ranch — where Leno and his pals were meeting up for a drive.

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“Unfortunately, they hadn’t seen our missing hiker but they were grateful for our efforts,” the rescue team said.

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The former “Tonight Show” host posed for a picture with some of the rescuers in front of a bright yellow sports car before they continued looking for Yang.

After about another eight hours of hiking, Yang was found safe but dehydrated.

They reached Yang after a good Samaritan ran into him between Mount Waterman and Twin Peaks.

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The good Samaritan contacted the Crescenta Valley Station. Yang was airlifted to a local hospital, where he was reunited with his family, officials said.

He spent a total of 30 hours in the Angeles National Forest after he was reported missing to the Crescenta Valley station at 3 p.m. Saturday, according to Montrose Search and Rescue .

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone involved in the search, especially the good Samaritan whose quick thinking and action played a critical role in this rescue,” the SAR team said.

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