The body of British Hiker Aziz Ziriat has been found in the Passo di Conca area deep in the Italian Dolomites near the town of Tione Di Trento. Ziriat, 36, went missing January 1 with friend and hiking companion Sam Harris, 35, both from London, England. The pair had been traveling from hut to hut (or rifugi as they are known in Italian) and planned to camp off-trail in between locations. Unfortunately, inclement weather struck at high altitude, and the pair did not arrive at their scheduled January 6 flight back to London. Extensive searches began immediately by Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue. Harris’s body was found buried under snow at the foot of a rock face on the Caré Alto mountain on January 8.
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After nearly six months of searching, the body of Ziriat was discovered lying in a rocky crevice on Saturday, May 31, around 1,300 feet below where the body of his friend, Harris, had previously been found. Ziriat’s phone case had initially been discovered close to Harris on January 8, leading officials to believe his remains must be nearby. Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico Trentino (CNSAS) “lowered themselves down the wall below the base of the slope, where the search dog finally signaled the missing man’s body in a rocky crevice, where it had been covered by snow,” a spokesperson for the Italian local rescue group stated.
Ziriat had last contacted his girlfriend, Rebecca Dimmock, via text on New Year’s Day, alerting her and his loved ones that his and Harris’s phones might run out of battery. Northern Italy’s vast Dolomite mountain range covers 6,155 square miles of relentless terrain. The area is famous for its challenging mountain trails and jagged peaks, making it particularly dangerous to be out overnight with no communication with the outside world. The Dolomites are especially treacherous in the winter months, due to sub-zero temperatures, frequent snowfall, icy rock walls, and high winds, which was the time when the pair went missing. A cause of death has not yet been revealed. However, the BBC previously reported that a possible cause was a fall “from above.” It is also not clear what happened in the pair’s final hours together. They were last confirmed to have visited a mountain hut near Tione Di Trento.
Ziriat is remembered as a passionate community leader with a zest for life. Ziriat served as Head of Community Engagement for a year and a half for the Palace for Life charity. In a social media post, Palace for Life stated, “Aziz has not only been incredibly impactful in his role, but also a kind, compassionate, and generous individual who brought positivity and warmth to everyone he has worked with. He is an extremely loved colleague and friend at Palace for Life, having created close relationships with those at Palace and throughout the local community.”
In an interview conducted by Standard.com/UK, Ziriat’s family has described how the past few months have been “incredibly difficult for everyone who knew and loved him.” Ziriat’s family said: “Whilst we are relieved to have finally found him, there are no words to describe how heartbroken we are to lose our beloved Aziz. But we have been comforted by the overwhelming love we have received – we will be eternally grateful for everyone’s support,” they added. The hiker’s family also expressed “heartfelt thanks and deepest gratitude” to the rescuers, the emergency services and volunteers who had worked tirelessly in “challenging and dangerous conditions” to find his body. The family followed up by saying, “Being with Aziz was to witness his deep connection with and appreciation of life. He lived every moment with optimism, good humor, and humility; he was, and still is, loved by so many.”
