Missing Kiwi woman Claire Nelson found injured in US national park

Joshua Tree National Park posted on Facebook that Claire Nelson had gone missing. Photo / Facebook

A badly injured Kiwi woman missing for three days has been found with a shattered pelvis in a US desert by a helicopter search crew.

Claire Nelson, 36, has been flown to a local hospital for treatment after rescuers found her on Friday about 4pm (local time) in a national park.

Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent David Smith said a River County Sheriff's helicopter crew discovered Nelson in a "wash" - a dried out river bed - in the park.

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Thanks to @wandering_nat_ for this pic from last week on the Barker Dam trail. I clambered up there to look at petroglyphs - artworks carved into the rock by Native Indians, who of course were here long before cattlemen came and built the dam. The carvings that are vividly coloured were painted over for a Disney movie in the 50s so that they showed up more clearly on film... Which is pretty terrible, but that’s showbiz for you. And why we can’t have nice things. 🙄

A post shared by Claire Nelson (@ladyeclaire) on May 19, 2018 at 12:10pm PDT

The crew were able to make contact with Nelson and rescued her from the wash before flying her to safety.

UPDATE: Injured hiker was found alive this evening by RCSD and JOSAR teams and transported by CHP to Chiriacco Summit to...

Posted by Joshua Tree National Park on Friday, 25 May 2018

The search began about six hours earlier when Nelson's vehicle was found in the parking area for the Lost Palms Oasis and Mastodon Peak trailhead.

Searchers from the park and Riverside County Sheriff's Department began the search and a rescue helicopter crew was also called in.

Nelson - whose Facebook pages lists her as a freelance writer, editor and "perpetual traveller" - is believed to have become lost in the park. She was last heard from on Tuesday local time.

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I love Joshua trees so much. Not only do they look like strange mythical beings, but when I see them I know I’m somewhere special, as if removed from reality, free from normal. And that’s a nice place to be. . w/ @wandering_nat_ @desertwild_jt @loulitrenta

A post shared by Claire Nelson (@ladyeclaire) on May 15, 2018 at 8:29am PDT

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Natalie rocks. 🏜🌵❤️💪🏻

A post shared by Claire Nelson (@ladyeclaire) on May 13, 2018 at 8:39am PDT

She had told a friend earlier in the week she was planning to hike to Lost Palms Oasis and would be back on Wednesday, but had not made contact with anyone since then.

KESQ news reported she was found with a shattered pelvis.

Smith said he knew Nelson had some injuries but was unsure of the extent or how she came to be injured.

More to come.