Search for missing hiker called off for the day

The search and rescue operation for a second British man who went missing while hiking in Italy's Dolomite Mountains has been called off for the day.

Aziz Ziriat, 36, and Samuel Harris, 35, from London, had not been heard from since 1 January. The alarm was raised after the pair failed to check into their flight home on 6 January.

On Wednesday, rescue teams announced they had found a body "unfortunately lifeless, buried under the snow", believed to be that of Mr Harris.

In a statement on Friday, the Italian rescue services said the search where the body believed to be Mr Harris was found has not led to the discovery of Mr Ziriat.

Banks of fog compromised visibility at altitude and the return of all the teams concluded, the rescue teams added.

They are now deciding which strategy to adopt for Saturday.

The search was temporarily suspended due to bad weather on Thursday.

In a statement on Thursday, Italian rescue services said: "Due to bad weather, with rain in the valley bottom and snowfall in the mountains, today the search for the second mountaineer missing from the Adamello group was temporarily suspended".

Rescue teams cleared the road leading to the top of Val di Borzago from snow, in efforts to speed up searches by helicopter on Friday, the statement added.

More than 50 personnel from Alpine Rescue, Guardia di Finanza Rescue, Carabinieri and the local fire brigade are all involved in the search.

The discovery of a body, believed to be that of Mr Harris, was discovered by rescuers at the foot of a rock face on Carè Alto mountain near Trento, at an altitude of about 2,400m above sea level.

The discovery was made where a phone signal was last recorded from one of the men.

The exact cause of death is still unclear.

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