Body of Missing British Student George Smyth Found in Romania

A body believed to be that of 18-year-old British student George Smyth, who disappeared while hiking in Romania last year, has been found, UK police said, The Guardian reported. Smyth, a geology student at the University of Bristol, went missing in November after setting out from Poiana Brașov towards Bran. Avon and Somerset Police said on Saturday that the body found in the region is believed to be Smyth's. His family has been informed and is being supported by a family liaison officer. Formal identification will take place before arrangements are made to return his body to the UK. Smyth's family said they were “devastated” by his death and thanked the Romanian mountain rescue service Salvamont for continuing the search through difficult conditions. “He was the best of us and is deeply missed by his younger brothers, family and friends,” the family said. They also thanked Avon and Somerset Police and the University of Bristol for supporting them during the search. The family said the discovery, while painful, had ended months of uncertainty. “Although this latest news is incredibly painful, the torture of waiting is finally over, so we can now focus on bringing George home and saying goodbye.” Smyth, who was from Newport in Shropshire, is believed to have reached the Țigănești area after leaving Poiana Brașov. He made an emergency call for help from the mountains. Rescuers said at the time that he was in an isolated, difficult-to-reach area during severe weather, with strong winds, heavy snow and dense fog. A mountain rescue operation involving search dogs, drones and helicopters was launched. Sebastian Marinescu of the local mountain rescue service previously told the BBC that Smyth was “disoriented, physically exhausted, and already showing signs of hypothermia” when rescuers received his emergency call. Mountain rescue teams resumed searches on Wednesday, checking areas beneath rock faces, drainage channels and other difficult-to-access sections, but had initially found no trace of him. Smyth's family has asked for privacy as they come to terms with his death.