An aerial search by the Fire Department's Air One chopper in the Kipahulu area Sunday helped locate at the bottom of rocky cliff a body believed to be a woman reported missing Saturday.
Based on the sighting by the chopper of what appeared to be a body at the base of a cliff that drops off about 100 feet, fire rescue and police crews responded and recovered the body, which was covered with vegetation and rocks, according to the Maui Police Department.
The body matched the description of Alexandra Dunyasheva, a 24-year-old Russian national, who was last seen Thursday. A positive identification and cause of death are pending an autopsy scheduled for today, according to police.
Dunyasheva, also known as Sasha, was reported missing Saturday morning by a friend, who resides on the same Kipahulu property. She was last seen by the caretaker of the property Thursday at about 11 a.m. walking from the top of the property to a wash house on the makai side of Piilani Highway, according to police.
She was wearing blue jeans, an orange and purple top, an orange scarf and clear slip-on shoes, police said. She was described as possibly suffering from depression but not known to be suicidal or a drug user.
At about 7 a.m. Sunday, fire search and rescue and police personnel conducted a search of the area where Dunyasheva was last seen. Air One was dispatched and while searching the coastline in the Kalepa Gulch sighted the body, police said.
Police are still classifying this case as a missing person's case.
