MONTAGUE — A person who went missing in the Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area for more than 24 hours was “found safe” after a multi-agency search Monday night, according to the Turners Falls Fire Department.

The search began at around 9:27 p.m. as a joint effort between the Montague Center Fire Department, Turners Falls Fire Department, Montague Police Department, Greenfield Fire Department, Greenfield Police Department and Massachusetts State Police. Turners Falls Fire Chief Todd Brunelle said information provided by the caller helped the team locate the missing individual, who had gotten lost, in less than an hour.

The search party deployed four-wheel utility task vehicles (UTVs) to investigate the nearly 1,500-acre area, as well as a Greenfield Fire Department drone equipped with thermal imaging technology. Brunelle said personnel on the ground discovered the missing individual just before they were spotted by the drone near the area where they were thought to have gotten lost.

“They had stayed in place,” Brunelle said, adding that the individual was evaluated after being found.

According to State Police Trooper Brandon Doherty, the State Police Air Wing was requested at 10:18 p.m. to help with the search due to the large area, but the missing person was located before the air crews took off.

Brunelle declined to comment on how the individual had gotten lost, why it took more than 24 hours for the search to be initiated and what condition the individual was in upon being found.

Repeated attempts to reach Montague Police Chief Christopher Williams and Lt. Christopher Bonnett were unsuccessful by press time.

Brunelle encourages those who suspect they are lost to call 911 immediately, reasoning that phone signal and other resources can be fleeting. He added that giving more time for emergency personnel to act is advantageous.

Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-930-4231 or jmendoza@recorder.com.