A man has gone missing in Yellowstone National Park, and a foot belonging to him was found floating in a hot pool. There was no suicide note found in the man's car, but investigators discovered his laptop, notebooks, and handwritten poems. The National Park Service has released documents about the incident, but there are still no clear answers about how the man, Il Hun Ro, died or how his foot became separated from his body.
Yellowstone officials have not provided any updates on the case. Previously, they stated that they did not suspect foul play in the man's disappearance. The foot was first reported by a visitor on August 16th, but two shoe soles were found in the pool earlier, on August 8th and 12th. All personal information has been removed from the released documents.
Analyzing DNA of the Feet
DNA analysis was used to identify the missing man, Il, by using a relative's DNA sample and the remains found in the shoe. No other remains were discovered after a search of the area, but there were reports of "fatty tissues" floating in the hot pool where the foot was found. The temperature of the pool is 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is unclear if the substance found in the pool was definitively identified, and there is no information available about whether II was traveling alone or when he went missing. According to the released documents, Il was staying at The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone on the night of July 30th, which is about an hour's drive north of where the foot was found.
Il's car, a Kia Niro SUV, was the only visitor's car left parked near the Abyss Pool. Inside the car, investigators found a wallet with Il's driver's license and cash, a photo album, notebooks, and a book of poems with handwritten notes, following a CBS News report.
The West Thumb Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park.
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Yellowstone's Geothermal Waters
The poems and notes were written in a language not identified in the released documents. When investigators used Google Translate to interpret the notes, they found no evidence of a suicide note, as per US News.
Abyss Pool is one of the hundreds of thermal features in Yellowstone National Park, and it is 53 feet deep, making it one of the deepest hot springs in the park. Unlike many other geysers in Yellowstone, the constant circulation of water in Abyss Pool prevents it from erupting. The park advises visitors to stay on the elevated boardwalks around the geyser basins, as stepping off can be extremely dangerous.
Yellowstone National Park has cautioned visitors about the dangers of its geothermal features on its website, stating that the boiling water surges just under the thin crust of most geyser basins, and many people have been severely burned when they have broken through the fragile surface. Some people have died. More than 20 people have died from injuries sustained from Yellowstone's geothermal pools, geysers, mud pots, steam vents, and hot springs.
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