The Lyon County Sheriff's Office has suspended a search-and-rescue operation in the Virginia Range until more evidence comes to light that someone is actually in distress.
Search-and-rescue crews braved Saturday's blizzard-like conditions to search for the source of flashing lights seen by people on a commercial airline flying over Fernley about 7 p.m. Friday on the approach to the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.
About 36 search-and-rescue personnel searched the area Saturday, but found no evidence of anyone in the area.
The search, which was called off at 6 p.m. Saturday, was hampered by blizzard-like conditions and avalanche danger.
Lyon County Sheriff's officials checked surrounding agencies, which had no outstanding missing-persons cases pertinent to the search.
Officials will resume search efforts if new evidence indicates that someone is in the area, according to a statement released by the sheriff's office.
After the initial report of lights flashing, two Lyon County patrol deputies responded to the Tiger Field Airport in Silver Springs where they, too, spotted the flares, Capt. Jeff Page of the Lyon County Sheriff's Office said on Saturday.
A helicopter from Fallon Naval Air Station was able to give a latitude and longitude of the location before driving snow forced them to land.
The lights were closest to an area called Talapoosa north of Silver Springs in the Virginia Range.
Personnel from the Lyon and Washoe County Sheriff's Search and Rescue teams, Lyon County Amateur Radio Emergency Services and the Fallon Naval Air Station Longhorn Helicopter participated in the search.
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