The search for an Australian hiker who went missing in the Canadian wilderness has been suspended after six days. Authorities hold grave fears for Denise Ann Williams, a 62-year-old from Victoria, who vanished while hiking in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia province.
Disappearance and Search Efforts
Williams informed her family on April 15 that she was traveling to Chéticamp, a fishing village on Cape Breton Island, and has not been heard from since. She was reported missing last Tuesday local time, prompting an extensive air and ground search led by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
On Sunday local time, the RCMP confirmed that no further search activity is planned at this time. A statement read: 'The search for a missing hiker in Cape Breton Highlands National Park has been suspended following an extensive six-day air and ground search of the area.'
Vehicle Found Near Trail
Williams' rental Nissan Sentra was located at a visitor centre near the start of the Acadian Trail, an 8.4-kilometre loop in the park. The trail has a 'moderate' difficulty rating, according to Parks Canada's website.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park is known for its rugged and steep coastline, where hikers are warned to be vigilant for moose and black bears. 'Bears are coming out of hibernation. It's also mating season,' said Nova Scotia police corporal Mandy Edwards.
Challenging Conditions
Temperatures have fluctuated between zero and 10 degrees Celsius in recent days, with strong winds and snow forecast for the weekend. The difficult terrain has also hampered search efforts. 'We have very mountainous terrain here,' said Chéticamp Search and Rescue president Chris Bellmore. 'There's a lot of water here and there's actually still snow up here in the Highlands and in some areas that makes it a bit of a challenge to search.'
A massive multi-agency search was launched, involving Department of Natural Resources helicopter crews, police dog units, Civil Air Search and Rescue Association, Parks Canada, Nova Scotia Public Safety Field Communications, and EHS Emergency Preparedness and Special Operations.
Description of the Missing Hiker
Williams is described as 162 centimetres tall with greyish-blonde, shoulder-length hair. She was last seen wearing a dark winter jacket, a powder blue beanie with 'Antarctica' written on it, an orange and blue scarf, and glasses.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it is providing consular assistance to Williams' family. A spokesperson said, 'Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.'
