NSW police ‘hopeful’ of finding 23-year-old Hadi Nazari alive in remote national park as they track movements since he was last seen on Boxing Day
Police are hopeful a 23-year-old hiker missing since Boxing Day could still be alive in the remote Kosciuszko national park after a camera and campfire were found.
The extensive search entered its thirteenth day on Tuesday.
A camera and its case along with a campfire and lighter were found on Sunday and confirmed to belong to Victorian man Hadi Nazari, New South Wales police Supt Andrew Spliet told reporters on Tuesday.
“That area is an increased focus with the search now,” Spliet said.
“We are making inquiries to try and determine how long ago that little campfire was lit and that will give us … some type of timeline to when he was last in that specific area.
“We are very hopeful and we will continue the search until we’re comfortable that we have done everything we possibly can.”
Friends last saw Nazari on Boxing Day when he was descending the Hannels Spur trail in Kosciuszko national park. Nazari failed to arrive at the Geehi campground – their planned meeting spot.
A large-scale search mobilising 300 people has been under way to find the experienced hiker, involving the police, SES, National Parks and Wildlife Service, ambulance and volunteers. Six rescue and bomb disposal unit specialist officers were airlifted into the bushland to access remote areas.
The Hannels Spur trail is one of the toughest ascents in Australia with 1,800 metres of elevation, according to bushwalking advice. An experienced guide, Doug Chatten, said the area was unforgiving, particularly for anyone who ventured away from the trail.
“If you’re off the track, it’s bloody tough country,” he said. “It’s no easy walk, that’s for sure … you’d be a hard person to find.”
Act Supt Jillian Gibson previously said the area was some “of the most rugged terrain in NSW”.
“It’s very steep, it’s very vegetated and it’s quite remote … it is dense bushland with high altitude and scaling it is very difficult.”
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The search area was narrowed when rubbish and hiking poles believed to belong to Nazari were found near the Kosciuszko River last Tuesday. But hot and humid conditions over the weekend added difficulty to the search, Gibson said on Saturday.
Zahra Nazari, the missing man’s sister, told the Nine network’s Today Show that “not seeing him for so many days [and] not able to talk to him for so many days” was the “biggest trauma” of her life.
“I just want to go outside and scream, you know. I just look at his pictures all the time. I pray to God he comes back … soon.”
Source: www.theguardian.com