Shocking twist in case of California woman who disappeared from a mining camp for two weeks

A Sacramento woman who had gone missing from a mining camp last month has been found 'severely dehydrated' and starving - but alive, in the wilderness. 

Esmeralda Marie Pineda, 24, was last seen at a mining camp near the middle fork of the Yuba River and Sweetland Creek in Nevada on the morning of August 26. 

Rescuers went on an extensive search over the span of two weeks. 

Eventually, a 'severely dehydrated and emaciated' Pineda was found on the canyon's rim near the Yuba River and Sweetland Creek by Nevada County Sheriff's Office deputies. 

Sargent Dustin Moe explained search crews were only able to notice her when she sat up and looked in their direction.

'She had a difficult time talking, so we didn't want to pressure her into talking and we didn't want her to excerpt any unneeded energy that she had left,' the official said.

Nevada City is located just over 60 miles north of Sacramento, where Pineda is from. 

Less than an hour after she was found, Pineda was airlifted from the canyon by the California Highway Patro and taken to a hospital for treatment. 

The extent of her injuries has not been clarified by officials. 

The lost victim had been camping with three friends in the canyon by the Middle Yuba River when she she wished to return home. 

But when her friends woke up the next day, they noticed she was missing. 

'So, her friends went searching for her during that day and couldn’t find any signs whether she had made it out,' Moe said. 

He is also explained that there are not trail systems in the area on the middle fork where she was found which is usually why people avoid the area. 

When asked how he thinks Pineda may have survived for nearly two weeks, he responded: 'Who knows? I mean, maybe she had good survival instincts. She had luck behind her and she managed to pull through those 12 days.'