Rescue team members and the Coastguard helicopter at the site above Llyn Cau on Cadair Idris. Photo: Aberdyfi SRT
The body of a missing walker has been found by rescuers on Cadair Idris in Snowdonia.
The French tourist was reported missing when he failed to return to his hotel in Bala on Sunday.
Police searches led to the discovery of the 30-year-old man’s vehicle in a car park at Minffordd, a popular starting point for walkers heading up the mountain.
Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team was called out about 6am on Wednesday.
A team spokesperson said: “With an extensive search area to cover, and with bad weather forecast for later in the day, the team requested and received assistance from the Coastguard helicopter, R936, from our neighbouring team South Snowdonia Search and Rescue and from Search and Rescue Dogs – Sarda Wales – Izzy, Izzy and Spin.”
The air and land search led to the discovery of several items of lost equipment on Cadair Idris, but these proved unrelated or inconclusive.
The spokesperson said: “Finally search dog Izzy, a trailing-dog trained to pick up the specific scent of a missing person, indicated that she had found scent, giving the first good evidence that the man was on the mountain, and an indication which path he had taken.
“With this evidence, along with information gathered relating to mobile phone mast data, the search area was narrowed and, just before 1pm, Rescue 936 reported that they had sighted a body on steep craggy ground above Llyn Cau.
“A party of team volunteers was winched onto the crag, and discovered that the man had not survived his ordeal.
“In difficult conditions of terrain, and as other parties of volunteers waited nearby in case the deteriorating weather meant R936 was unable to operate, team members loaded the man on to a stretcher.
“With the weather closing in fast he was then winched into R936 and lifted down off the mountain. The helicopter then returned to lift the stretcher party off the crag.”
The helicopter then returned to the mountain and lifted the stretcher party off the crag. The operation ended about 5.30pm
Team member Graham O’Hanlon, who attended the rescue, said: “Our sympathies go out to the friends and family of this man who lost his life far from home.”
