The search for a missing British hiker in the Dolomites continues as friends express their fears for his safety
Tione Di Trento: A close friend of a British hiker missing in the Dolomites for over a week shared some heavy feelings. He mentioned that there’s a sense of acceptance that the news might not be good as the search goes on.
Sam Harris, 35, and his friend Aziz Ziriat, 36, both from London, haven’t been in touch since January 1. Sadly, rescuers found Mr. Harris’s body in the Passo di Conca area on Wednesday.
Joe Stone, a university buddy of Mr. Ziriat, told the press that the authorities are doing everything they can to locate the 36-year-old, who has now been missing for ten days.
“We’re all kind of accepting that it’s probably not going to end well,” Mr. Stone said on Saturday. “But it would be really nice to find him and get out of this awful limbo.”
The last place they were seen was a mountain hut called Casina Dosson, near Tione Di Trento, close to Lake Garda.
Italy’s National Alpine Cliff and Cave Rescue Corps (CNSAS) resumed the search for Mr. Ziriat at first light on Saturday. About 40 rescuers have been airlifted to high altitudes, digging through the snow where Mr. Harris’s body was discovered.
On Wednesday, the rescue service reported finding a body in the Passo di Conca area, sadly buried under the snow. They had been searching after tracking a phone belonging to one of the two hikers.
Palace For Life, the charity where Mr. Ziriat works, shared on social media that they were devastated to hear about Mr. Harris’s recovery. They expressed their deepest sympathies to his family and mentioned that there’s still no news on Aziz.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) stated they are supporting the family of the British man who died in northern Italy and are in touch with local authorities.
