A BODY believed to be that of British hiker George Smyth has been found in Romania’s Bucegi Mountains, following a nine-month search involving mountain rescuers, helicopters, drones and search dogs.
The 18-year-old from Newport in Shropshire disappeared while hiking in the mountains on November 23 2025.
Avon and Somerset Police said on Saturday that the body had been discovered in the Bucegi Mountains and that George’s family had been informed. Formal identification is still to take place.
The discovery follows months of searching by Romania’s Salvamont mountain rescue service, which repeatedly returned to the area despite severe winter conditions and difficult terrain.
George’s family have paid tribute to the rescuers, thanking them for what they described as their tireless efforts since his disappearance.
The University of Bristol geology student had been hiking alone in the Bucegi Mountains when he called Romania’s emergency services, reporting that he was exhausted, cold and showing signs of hypothermia. According to Salvamont, rescuers advised him to continue along the marked route towards Mălăiești Chalet so that they could meet him rather than remain stationary in the cold.
Rescuers reached the area indicated by his call but could only find his backpack which contained equipment including a sleeping bag, tent, stove, food and other supplies. Salvamont teams then began reconstructing his movements with the help of his family and the information available from his emergency call.
Unfortunately, they were hampered by weather conditions which made the operation exceptionally difficult. Heavy snowfall left parts of the Bucegi Mountains buried beneath several feet of snow, while poor visibility, steep terrain and avalanche risk restricted where rescue teams could safely operate.
Searchers used drones and specialist dogs, while a Black Hawk helicopter was also deployed to assist with the operation. Mountain rescuers worked on foot and, at times, stayed overnight in mountain refuges so they could begin searching again at first light.
In December, Salvamont director Sebastian Marinescu said the amount of snow in the Țigănești Valley meant there were “numerous possible scenarios” for what might have happened to George. The search was eventually paused as winter conditions made further operations too dangerous.
Salvamont Brașov returned to the area when the snowfall receded, and searches were resumed during the spring and continued into the summer, with rescuers repeatedly checking sections of the Țigănești Valley and surrounding terrain that had previously been inaccessible or buried beneath snow.
The latest operation has now located a body which police have not yet formally identified it as George Smyth, but his family have been informed and arrangements are being made to establish the identity and, ultimately, return him home.
In a statement released through Avon and Somerset Police, George’s family said they were “all devastated by George’s death”.
“We want to thank Salvamont mountain rescue, who have worked tirelessly since November searching for George, despite very difficult and often dangerous conditions,” the statement read.
“They are an amazing team, and have remained in constant communication, helping us greatly throughout this awful time.
“We would also like to thank Avon and Somerset Police and University of Bristol, who have gone above and beyond to try and find George, and to support us as a family.
“Although this latest news is incredibly painful, the torture of waiting is finally over, so we can now focus on bringing George home and saying goodbye.
“We would appreciate privacy while we continue to come to terms with this loss.”
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This is one of the saddest and yet most heartwarming stories I’ve read in years. That poor boy, who was so obviously a wonderful young man, but also the dedication and heroism of the search teams who didn’t give up on finding him and returning his body to his family.