Search expands for Illinois man missing a week in Great Smoky Mountains
A 57-person team is searching Great Smoky Mountains National Park for Marcin Bachleda-Blaszczak, who vanished after his car was found at the Sugarlands Visitor Center.
Marcin Bachleda-Blaszczak disappeared after his vehicle was located at the Sugarlands Visitor Center parking lot on Aug. 22, 2025, with his missing-person report filed two days later. A search operation led by the National Park Service now includes 57 rangers, volunteers and local partners, who are canvassing trails and surrounding areas while temporarily using drones, an exception to park policy. The team expanded from 47 members on Saturday to 57 by Sunday as the hunt widened beyond the immediate vicinity of the visitor center.
Bachleda-Blaszczak, described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, about 170 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes, was last seen after a normal dinner with his father, according to his cousin Corrina Auten. Officials have asked the public to report any sightings to Great Smoky Mountains National Park dispatch via email. The search continues amid the park’s terrain that spans North Carolina and Tennessee.
Why it matters
The ongoing search highlights safety concerns for visitors in a heavily trafficked national park.
In this story
