Full family statement as woman who went missing from airport for over a month is found safe

The family of Hannah Kobayashi have said they are 'incredibly relieved' after she was found safe more than a month after she vanished.

Relatives of the 31-year-old released a statement explaining she had been in contact with them on Wednesday (11 December) after weeks of them searching.

Kobayashi seemingly vanished after travelling from her home in Maui, Hawaii to Los Angeles on 8 November before missing her connecting flight to New York City.

Despite several sightings of her, Kobayashi's loved ones were unable to track her down.

The family were then dealt another devastating blow amid the hunt for the photographer, as her father Ryan Kobayashi was found dead in LA after he'd flown over to help look for her.

Last week, the Los Angeles Police Department shared an update on the case and announced that Kobayashi had crossed the US/Mexico border on 12 November.

Hannah Kobayashi's family said they were 'grateful' she had been found safe (Instagram/@midorieve)

The force believed that she had 'expressed a desire to step away from modem connectivity' and that 'speculation about potential involvement in human trafficking or foul play' was false.

Cops also said they found that although Kobayashi's luggage was checked onto the flight to New York, she later asked for it returned to her at LAX.

Surveillance footage showed her collecting her bag on 11 November before heading to Union Station and purchasing a bus ticket.

Following that, she made her way to San Ysidro, California, before crossing the border into Mexico on foot.

However, Kobayashi's family still remained concerned about her safety and whereabouts.

But her relatives have now revealed that the 31-year-old has 'been found safe' and that they have been in touch with her.

The family's lawyer, Sara Azari, shared the statement on their behalf in a post on X yesterday (11 December).

The 31-year-old vanished after arriving in Los Angeles last month (California Attorney General's Office)

The statement read: "We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe. This past month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family, and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through.

"We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time.

"Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us."

It came after police urged Kobayashi to contact her family to put their minds at ease.

Following the announcement that she was considered a 'voluntary missing person', LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said: "She has a right to her privacy, and we respect her choices, but we also understand the concern loved ones feel for her.

"A simple message could reassure those she cares about."