A major search operation is underway in the snow-covered mountains of Transylvania for a British teenager who vanished during a solo hike near the legendary Dracula's Castle.
Desperate Search in Harsh Conditions
George Smyth, an 18-year-old student from the University of Bristol, was trekking alone in the Bucegi Mountains on Sunday, November 23, when he called Romanian emergency services. He reported suffering from hypothermia and exhaustion. The rescue call was made from the Tiganesti Valley area.
Mountain rescuers from Salvamont Brasov immediately launched a search. Over the following days, they managed to locate the teenager's rucksack in the area where the distress call originated. The backpack contained significant equipment, including a tent, sleeping bag, and food supplies, which were found scattered nearby.
"The backpack had quite a lot of equipment in it - a sleeping bag, a tent. My colleagues even found food all around. So we don’t understand what happened and where he could have gone," stated Sebastian Marinescu, director of Salvamont Brasov.
Mother Flies to Romania as Hope Fades
The teenager's mother, Jo Smyth, has flown to Transylvania to be closer to the search efforts. She revealed that her son, described as a "sporty and strong young man," had left without informing anyone he was hiking alone.
"We hope and pray that he somehow survives," she told local media. "Just the thought of life without him is unbearable."
The search has been severely hampered by extreme winter weather. Snow depths have exceeded two metres in parts of the mountains, making the terrain treacherous and inaccessible. Despite these challenges, rescuers have deployed extensive resources.
High-Tech Hunt in Inaccessible Terrain
Search teams have been using every tool at their disposal to find the missing student. This includes:
- Thermal imaging cameras to detect body heat.
- Specialist sniffer dogs trained for mountain rescue.
- A Black Hawk helicopter to scan remote and inaccessible gorges and ridges.
On Friday and Saturday, November 28-29, more than 20 mountain rescuers were mobilised. The operation continues as weather windows allow. George had begun his hike from the Poiana Brasov area, heading towards the village of Bran, famous for its 14th-century castle widely associated with Bram Stoker's Count Dracula.
A spokesperson for the University of Bristol said: "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."
An official appeal for information, accompanied by a photograph of George Smyth, was issued by Salvamont Brasov on Friday, November 28.
