Body found in search for two Brit hikers who vanished on Italian mountain before pair failed to make their flight home
In the frantic hunt for two British men who vanished during a mountain trek on New Year’s Day, a BODY has been found.
After friends 36-year-old Aziz Ziriat and 35-year-old Samuel Harris failed to board their aircraft home from their vacation in the Italian Dolomites, fears increased.
Authorities in Italy said on Thursday that rescuers had found a body buried in the alpine snow.
After a helicopter search was restarted on Wednesday morning, the devastating finding was made.
After sending messages and pictures home on January 1, the two were last heard from when their phones either died or lost signal.
After the two failed to board their trip home on January 6, a frenzied search for the London-based pals was launched.
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Heavy snowfall, fog, and avalanche warnings hindered the desperate search during the first two days.
The first concerning development for this team came earlier on Wednesday when they found the men’s equipment and backpacks in a hut they were thought to have remained in.
This followed footage captured on January 1st, which revealed the friends intended to abandon their bags before continuing on to the next valley.
Rescue workers disclosed that they tracked a body by listening to Aziz and Sam’s last phone conversations.
They affirmed that both men’s families had been notified and that the search would go on.
Near the mountain chalet known as Casina Dosson, near the hamlet of Tione Di Trento, near Riva Del Garda, on Lake Garda, is where their last known position was.
According to the friends’ relatives, Aziz and Sam intended to climb in the mountain range between lodges on their New Year’s excursion.
According to BBCreports, Aziz’s girlfriend Rebecca Dimmock described the two as “experienced hikers” but disclosed that she last spoke to him at around 10 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
She continued: “He said his phone was about to die but he would write back to me properly soon.”
Rebecca continued, “I know they made it to the hut, and they were drinking red wine, but he said it was freezing.”
Rebecca broke down in tears on Good Morning Britain this morning as she talked of the suffering their loved ones were going through.
“The hardest thing is that there are so many different scenarios and possibilities,” she stated. We don’t know what choices they have made, and it doesn’t make sense.”
Rebecca said, “They are really experienced, they have been to some really harsh conditions.”
Last night, the pair’s friends and family took a plane to the Italian region to assist with rescue attempts.
Since Aziz is employed by Crystal Palace FC’s official Palace For Life charity, the team made an appeal for information yesterday in hopes of locating the two.
“A member of the Palace For Life staff and his friend have been missing since 1st January in the Dolomites,” said a panicked message from Palace on X.
“If anyone knows the area, is able to support further or has any information that will help, please call 999 and reference CAD 0197/07 Jan25.”
There will be more later.Stay tuned to The Sun Online for the most recent updates on this story.
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