Mountain search resumes for University of Bristol student missing in Transylvania

By Cara Hene, Digital News Editor

The University of Bristol is ‘deeply concerned for his welfare.’

Smyth was reportedly solo-hiking in the Bucegi mountain range in Transylvania on November 23, when he made a distressed call to the Romanian emergency services, suffering from hypothermia and exhaustion, according to Brașov mountain rescue.

Jo Smyth, George Smyth's mother, said that her son had left the UK for Romania without telling anyone.

Rescuers searched for the teenager in the following days, finding only his rucksack full of camping equipment in Tiganesti Valley, where Smyth had called for help.

A search comprising 20 rescuers on November 28 and 29 then had to be called off due to hazardous conditions, with snow over two metres deep.

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However, the decision was made to resume the search this morning, December 4, with 17 rescuers setting out at first light from the Malaiesti Chalet.

The chalet is on the trail that the emergency services had instructed Smyth to follow, so as to keep the teen moving and avoid severe hypothermia.

Smyth had been trekking ‘in the correct direction’ towards the Malaiesti Chalet, according to the university student's GPS coordinates.

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Sniffer dogs, a Black Hawk helicopter, and thermal imaging cameras have all been used in attempts to locate the University of Bristol student since he dialled 112 on November 23.

Smyth's mother said to the Observator, a Romanian news outlet, that ‘Just the thought of life without him is unbearable.’

A University of Bristol spokesperson said to Epigram:

‘We’ve been informed that one of our students has been reported missing after independently travelling to Romania to go hiking. We are deeply concerned for his welfare and are in close contact with his family. Our thoughts are with them as they await any updates.’

Featured image: Smyth family