Recovery of body of Arum’s son will be ‘high risk’
SEATTLE — Hampered by extremely difficult terrain and deteriorating weather, rescuers carefully planned Saturday how to recover the body of John Arum — the son of Top Rank Inc. boxing promoter Bob Arum — who died while mountain climbing in Washington’s North Cascades National Park.
“This is going to be a fairly technical and high-risk recovery,” park spokeswoman Kerry Olson said, adding that “conditions have to be ideal.”
“We don’t want to put any of our rescuers’ lives at risk doing this,” she said.
Arum’s family released a statement expressing thanks to all who aided in the search and offered support.
“The family of John Arum would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has shared their concern with us during this tragic time,” the statement read. “John was a very special person. A wonderful husband, son, brother and friend, John meant so much, to so many. He was so loved, and we miss him already.”
After a five-day search, the body of the 49-year-old Arum, a highly respected Seattle environmental attorney and outdoor enthusiast, was spotted Friday afternoon from a National Park Service helicopter at about the 7,700-foot level on the north face of 8,500-foot Storm King Mountain.
Olson said previous flights had been made in this area, but recent snow melt made it possible to locate the body. She said it appeared that Arum, an experienced mountain climber, had fallen.