British Hiker’s Body Found in Northern Italy After Month-Long Search
The body of a 36-year-old British hiker, Aziz Ziriat, from London, has been found in the Dolomites in northern Italy, local rescuers announced on Saturday. Ziriat had been missing since New Year’s Day, sparking a month-long search operation that ultimately led to the discovery of his body.
According to reports from The Guardian, Ziriat’s body was discovered buried in snow by rescuers from the Trentino Alpine and speleological rescue team. The team, which had been airlifted to the area on Saturday morning, began searching near where the body of Ziriat’s friend, Sam Harris, 35, had been found earlier.
Harris’s body was discovered buried under snow on the same mountain, about 1km (0.6 miles) away, at the base of the southern face of Carè Alto. The rescue team used a dog from a unit provided by the Italian financial police’s Alpine rescue branch to detect Ziriat’s body "in a rocky crevice, hidden beneath layers of snow", at the foot of the southern face of Carè Alto. The Guardian reports that Ziriat’s remains were found "at the base of the cliffs, almost 1,000 metres away from Harris’s initial location and 400 metres lower in altitude".
The search operation, which involved firefighters and a volunteer group, was launched after Ziriat and Harris missed their return flight on 6 January. The pair had been hiking in the Dolomites, with their last known location being a mountain hut called Casina Dosson, close to the town of Tione Di Trento, near Riva Del Garda on Lake Garda on 1 January.
The rescue team airlifted Ziriat’s body to the nearby Spiazzo Rendena sports field, where his family was informed of the discovery. The Guardian reports that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is supporting Ziriat’s family and is in contact with the local authorities.
The discovery of Ziriat’s body brings closure to a month-long search operation that had been ongoing since the pair was reported missing. As The Guardian notes, the incident highlights the risks associated with hiking in remote areas and the importance of being prepared and aware of the potential dangers.
In a statement, the Trentino Alpine and speleological rescue team confirmed that Ziriat’s body had been found and that the search operation had been brought to a close. The team worked tirelessly to locate the missing hiker, and their efforts ultimately led to the discovery of Ziriat’s body. As reported by The Guardian, the rescue team said that Ziriat’s body was found in a rocky crevice, hidden beneath layers of snow, at the foot of the southern face of Carè Alto.
