Latest news with #TrentinoAlpineandSpeleologicalRescue
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Family of hiker 'heartbroken' after body found
The family of a London hiker who died on an Italian mountain range have said they are "heartbroken" after his body was discovered on Saturday. Aziz Ziriat, 36, went missing while hiking in the Dolomites with his friend Sam Harris on New Year's Day. His remains were found by a specialist search team lying in a rocky crevice about 400m (1,300ft) below where Mr Harris's body was discovered almost five months ago. Mr Ziriat's family said: "Whilst we are relieved to have finally found him, there are no words to describe how heartbroken we are to lose our beloved Aziz." The family said the past few months had been "incredibly difficult for everyone who knew and loved him". "But we have been comforted by the overwhelming love we have received - we will be eternally grateful for everyone's support," they added. They also expressed "heartfelt thanks and deepest gratitude" to the alpine rescue team, the firefighters, police and volunteers who had "all worked tirelessly, in challenging and dangerous conditions" to find his body. The family added: "Being with Aziz was to witness his deep connection with and appreciation of life. "He lived every moment with optimism, good humour and humility; he was, and still is, loved by so many." Mr Harris's body was discovered on 8 January. The friends had not been heard from since 1 January and they did not check in for their flight home on 6 January. Their last known location was near a mountain hut called Casina Dosson, close to the town of Tione Di Trento, near Riva Del Garda on Lake Garda. Mr Ziriat's body was found on Saturday in the Passo di Conca area by specialist search teams including a canine unit, Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue confirmed. A spokesman said the rescuers "lowered themselves down the wall below the base of the slope, where the dog finally signalled the missing man's body in a rocky crevice, where it had been covered by snow". The Palace for Life Foundation - the official charity of Crystal Palace Football Club where Mr Ziriat worked - said they were "deeply saddened" by the news. In a statement the charity said: "Aziz was an incredible person with an infectious love for life. Throughout his time here Aziz formed close friendships throughout the local community. "He was a compassionate, kind and generous individual who brought warmth and positivity to everybody met. He is deeply missed by all of us here at Palace." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Body of hiker missing since New Year's Day found British hiker's family devastated as items found Search for missing hiker called off for the day Palace for Life Foundation The National Corps of Alpine and Speleological Rescue - Italy
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Body of Hiker Missing Since New Year's Day Found in Mountain Range 5 Months After Search Began: Report
Aziz Ziriat's body was found nearly five months after he and his friend Samuel Harris went missing while hiking in the Dolomites in Italy, according to BBC News The pair, from London, were reported missing in early January after missing a flight home on Jan. 6 from their trip to the mountain range Harris' body was on Jan. 8, however, the search for Ziriat continued all this timeThe body of a British hiker missing in the mountains since Jan. 1 has been recovered after five months of searching. On Saturday, May 31, emergency responders found Aziz Ziriat's body in the Dolomites Mountains in northern Italy, according to BBC News. In doing so, they brought an end to search efforts that started after he and his friend Samuel Harris went missing in early January. The pair, who were last heard from on Jan. 1, were was reported missing after they did not make their Jan. 6 flight home, the outlet reported. Harris' body was recovered on Jan. 8, shortly after search and rescue efforts commenced, according to previous reporting by BBC News. At the time, they also found the cover to Ziriat's phone. However, weather and other conditions made the search challenging. The outlet noted that Ziriat, 36, was found "lying in a rocky crevice" and was only "around 1,300 ft." away from where Harris, 35, was found. In a statement to the outlet, a spokesman for Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue said the rescuers "lowered themselves down the wall below the base of the slope, where the dog finally signalled the missing man's body in a rocky crevice, where it had been covered by snow". A cause of death has not yet been revealed. However, the BBC previously reported that a possible cause was a fall "from above." It is also not clear what happened in the pair's final hours together. They were last confirmed to have visited a mountain hut near Tione Di Trento. Alpine Rescue, Guardia di Finanza Rescue and Italy's Carabinieri (a military organization similar to the police) all assisted in the recovery efforts. Ziriat and Harris were described as "experienced hikers" by a college friend, per BBC News. The former's family issued a statement in January, saying that they were "devastated by the tragic events of the last few days," according to multiple outlets, including Sky News. "Our appreciation for the co-ordinated work and expertise of the Alpine Rescue, emergency services and volunteers in Italy is immeasurable," they said. "The work they have been doing, battling against challenging terrain and weather conditions, and their commitment to finding Aziz has been outstanding." The statement concluded: "We hope, with all our hearts, he will be found and brought home soon." Ziriat's girlfriend Rebecca Dimmock spoke out at the time, saying that it was "not unexpected" that he and Harris would go "off-grid" while hiking. "I think they wanted to have some nights where they were out in nature and in fresh air and sleeping in the wild. They have all the gear and they've done hikes before," she said, according to U.K. newspaperThe Times. She received a text from him on New Year's Day. That same day, the outlet reported that they alerted loved ones that their phones might die. PEOPLE has reached out to Alpine Rescue and Guardia di Finanza Rescue for additional comment. Read the original article on People
Metro
3 days ago
- Metro
Body of British hiker, 36, found months after going missing in Italian Dolomites
The body of a British hiker who went missing in the Dolomites on New Year's Day has been found by mountain rescuers. Aziz Ziriat, 36, was last heard from on January 1 while hiking with a friend, Samuel Harris, in the Italian mountain range. Samuel, 35, was found dead just over a week after the pair went missing, his body covered in snow. Aziz's phone, bank card and glasses were found close to his friend's body. This morning (May 31) Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue teams said they have found Aziz's body, and are working to recover his remains. The friends, who both lived in London, were planning to climb a 3,000m mountain on January 1. Aziz filmed a video and shared it with family and friends on the day he disappeared, in which he said: 'Happy New Year! Woken up to some delightful sunshine, blue skies. 'There has not been a cloud in the sky since we got here, which is slightly unnerving but also quite jokes. 'I want to attack this today, get up into some of the 3,000 bits which are up yonder. 'Looking forward to a day scampering, we are not taking our packs today, for the last two days lugging up this God-forsaken valley, another day frolicking before schlepping over to the next valley.' But their families raised the alarm after they both missed their flight back to the UK on January 6. The Italian authorities began a search of the mountain, but their efforts were hampered by heavy snow and strong winds. They found Samuel's body on January 8 at the base of the Care Alto peak and suggested he may have fallen from rocks above. Rescuers traced their steps by tracking their mobile phones and managed to find both of their backpacks – but they found no trace of Aziz. Friends and family described Aziz and Samuel as experienced hikers and climbers who have faced harsh conditions before. Speaking soon after Samuel's body was found, his friend and business partner Spencer Jones paid tribute, saying: 'To say I am devastated would be an understatement, and I have no words to fully describe how I am feeling at the moment. 'The search is ongoing for our good friend Aziz Ziriat, so for now, I want to focus on Sam. 'He was an amazing friend of 23 years, ever since our school days. 'He was probably the most knowledgeable person I have ever known, and building the business with him has been an incredible journey.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Fears grow for British tourist who vanished on first night of stag do in Algarve party hotspot MORE: Experts reveal what would happen if supervolcano 1,000 miles from London erupted MORE: British man who vanished nearly a month ago in Amsterdam has been found
