St Margaret's Loch, Holyrood Park, where the body was found. Photo: Euan Nelson CC-BY-SA-2.0

Specialist rescuers helping police in the search for a missing student have found a body.

Members of the Borders Search and Rescue Unit and Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team, along with Borders Underwater Search Team, were called in today to help in the hunt of Sanjay Dhital, who has not been seen for four weeks.

Mr Dhital, 24, from Nepal, is in his final year of studies at Edinburgh College. No traces of the Nepalese man have been found despite extensive searches in the city.

The two mountain rescue teams were drafted in for rope-access searches of Holyrood Park.

Speaking before today’s search, Inspector Kevin McLean, who is leading the inquiry, said: “We are grateful to both Borders Search and Rescue Unit and Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team for their support this weekend.

“We have carried out searches of the area around Elm Row, but it is important that we now sweep the hard to reach areas around Arthur’s Seat, as there is a possibility Sanjay may have come to some harm.

Sanjay Dhital

The missing man’s brother Sailesh Dhital, who lives in Kathmandu, Nepal, with the rest of his family said: “This is a very difficult time for our family.”

Damon Rodwell, press officer for Border Search and Rescue Unit said: “While assisting Lothian and Borders Police in the search for a missing Edinburgh man, Borders Underwater Search Team has today recovered the body of a man from St Margaret’s Loch in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh.

“This was a joint search with Borders Search and Rescue Team and Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team.”