A teenager from Britain is currently missing during a hiking trip after reaching out for help due to exhaustion and hypothermia issues.
The mother of George Smyth, Jo, has traveled to Romania upon receiving news that her 18-year-old son had contacted the emergency line 112 while hiking in the Bucegi Mountains. George has not been seen since the evening of November 23, and an alert was issued by the Salvamont Brasov rescue service on November 28.
Speaking to local media outlet Observator News, his mother disclosed that George left his college in the UK without informing them to embark on a solo hiking journey. His last phone signal was traced to a remote mountain area where he made a distress call to 112 on a Sunday evening.
His backpack was discovered at the location where he sought help. Immediate action was taken as his family flew to Romania to assist the search teams in any way possible. George was reportedly heading towards Bran village, known for Bran Castle or Dracula’s Castle.
Rescuers suspect that George made the emergency call from the Tiganesti valley, situated over 6,562 feet above sea level. Search operations, including the deployment of a Black Hawk helicopter, a drone equipped with a thermal imaging camera, and teams with search dogs, have been ongoing.
During the search, a rucksack believed to belong to George was found and handed over to the police, but there have been no further traces of the missing teenager. Sebastian Marinescu, the director of Brașov Mountain Rescue, mentioned that despite retracing George’s likely path, no new significant clues were identified.
Authorities indicated that George was wearing the jacket shown in the photo released by his mother. The police have asked individuals with any information or potential sightings of George to contact Salvamont Brasov promptly.
Describing George as an intelligent, affectionate, and daring young man, his mother expressed hope and prayers for his survival against all odds. The thought of life without him is described as unbearable.
Recent reports stated that search operations were temporarily halted due to avalanche risks, with plans to resume once weather conditions improve. The status of the search operation resumption remains unclear at present.