Two men were found dead in a remote forest while searching for Sasquatch, according to authorities in Washington state.
The two men from Portland, Oregon, were found dead after a three-day search on Christmas Day after a family member reported the pair had not returned from a trip to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest to search for Sasquatch, also known as Bigfoot.
The “exhausting” search involved more than 60 volunteers searching with planes and dogs in “heavily wooded” terrain and brutally cold weather conditions, the Skamania County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.
“Both deaths appear to be due to exposure based on weather conditions and poor preparation,” the statement said.
The sheriff's office found a car belonging to the victims near the town of Willard, the statement said, and the search was directed to that area. Drones were also used and a team of Coast Guard helicopters was called in to help with the search.
Authorities have not released the names of the two victims, aged 37 and 59.
Weather conditions in the Cascade Mountains were chilly in the days leading up to and during the search, which included snow, freezing rain and temperatures falling below freezing.
Rescuers also had to contend with high water levels in rivers and fallen trees.
Hundreds of Sasquatch sightings have been reported in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and western Canada. Along with the Loch Ness monster, the creature is one of the most famous cryptids in the world.
There have been so many alleged sightings that some communities have taken measures to protect the furry mythical creature.
In Skamania County, sasquatch injury carries a fine of $1,000 (£797) and one year in prison. The law, originally passed in 1969, was intended to protect both sasquatch hunters and elk hunters with particularly large beards, according to the Skamania Chamber of Commerce.