Body found in frantic search for missing student last seen on hike

13 April 2023 , 21:24

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A body has been found in the search for Zekun Zhang, 26, who was last seen hiking towards Ben Nevis (Image: Getty Images/Robert Harding Worl)

A body has been found amid a frantic search for a man who disappeared while hiking on Ben Nevis alone two days ago.

Zekun Zhang, 26, was last seen at 1pm on Tuesday, April 11, near the summit of nearby Carn Mor Dearg.

The student from London had reportedly been on a hike with two friends on when they decided to turn back due to heavy snow.

Mr Zhang however is said to have carried on, and it is understood he took a route from the peak onto Ben Nevis, which is the UK's highest mountain.

He planned to proceed to the mountain's north face, but did not return to the car park following his ascent and has not been heard from since.

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Alarms were raised when the student did not return to the car park following his ascent up the UK's highest mountain (PA)

Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team sent out a team of 12 people to search for him on Wednesday, reports the MailOnline, and were joined by six members of a police mountain rescue team (MRT).

The search was continued on Thursday by police and the RAF Mountain Rescue Service.

Donald Paterson, leader of Lochaber MRT, told the newspaper that conditions would have been very challenging in the hours after he disappeared, as snow and wind chill overnight would have plunged temperatures down to -8C.

He added that the team had "re-traced his whole route on Thursday without any sign of him" , and said more fresh snow had fallen.

Police confirmed that a body had been discovered on Thursday afternoon, with formal identification yet to take place (Getty Images)

Police Scotland had previously asked anyone with potential information on Mr Zhang's whereabouts to come forward, especially those who were walking in the area around the time of his disappearance.

A spokesperson form the force later confirmed that a body had been discovered on Thursday afternoon.

While no formal identification has not yet taken place, Zekun's family have been informed.

Inspector Ross McCartney said : “I would like to thank all mountain rescue teams that assisted with the search.”

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas