Body found of Manitoba hiker missing in Alps for more than three weeks
Posted August 26, 2018 8:08 am.
Last Updated August 27, 2018 10:06 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
German police say searchers have found what they believe to be the body of a Canadian man who has been missing in the Bavarian Alps since Aug. 2.
Bavarian police said the remains were found Saturday by a fellow Canadian, a police climber and friend of the man’s family who had joined the search. They were in a wooded area near the Brauneck mountain south of Munich, along with a backpack containing the missing man’s passport. The body was recovered with the help of a helicopter.
The missing man is believed to be Jeff Freiheit, a school teacher from Brandon, Manitoba, who embarked on the month-long Der Traumpfad hike from Munich to Venice back on July 30.
While police say forensic tests are being conducted to confirm the man’s identity, a Facebook post from his wife and a video on YouTube confirm the search for Freiheit has come to a tragic end.
“It is with overwhelming grief and sadness that I share with you that Jeff was found and is no longer with us,” writes Selena Anne. “Through a broken heart I’ve found peace in knowing that he did not suffer. Our family is beyond grateful for the outpouring of support during this sad and difficult time.”
A video posted by Alpine Life, which has been providing updates on the search for Freiheit, said Jeff’s mother Kathy found her son’s body at the bottom of a ridge in the Achselkopfe mountain region.
“Jeff must have fallen between 50 and 60 metres from the ridge line and died instantly,” said an unidentified man on the YouTube channel. “We strongly believe that Jeff would have suffered no pain and that his death would have been quick.
Police said Sunday there was no evidence of foul play.
The following video update was posted on Sunday by Alpine Life announcing the discovery of Jeff’s body.
