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U.S. State Dept.: Missing Oakland Couple Found Safe In Peru

(KPIX 5) - The U.S. State Department officially confirmed Wednesday that the Oakland couple missing in Peru on a bike trip has been found safe and sound.

Twenty-five-year-old Jamie Neal and her boyfriend, 27-year-old Garrett Hand, were in the midst of a six-month trek through South America when their frequent Facebook messages and phone calls stopped coming after the two boarded a bus in Peru on Jan. 25.

"We are pleased to confirm that the U.S. citizens reported as missing in Peru have been located and are safe," said State Department spokesperson Pooja Jhunjhunwala in a written statement.

"We appreciate the tremendous efforts of the Peruvian National Police and the Government of Peru in locating these individuals," Jhunjhunwala said.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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