Body found in search for missing Italy hikers

A body believed to be one of two British men who went missing in the Dolomites has been discovered, Italy's alpine rescue service has confirmed.

Aziz Ziriat, 36, and Samuel Harris, 35, both from London, were last in contact with their families on 1 January after sending messages from the Trentino region in northern Italy. They failed to board their return flight on 6 January.

According to the rescue team, the body was found "lifeless, buried under the snow" during a helicopter search on Wednesday morning. The search had focused on a high-altitude area where a phone signal from one of the men was last detected.

Earlier that day, the team reported finding the men's backpacks and equipment in a bivouac hut where they are believed to have taken shelter.

A video recorded on the day the men were last heard from shows them discussing plans to leave their packs at the hut and explore the area before moving on to the next valley. In the video, Mr. Ziriat described the bivouac as "an absolute quality little setup" and explained their decision to leave their gear behind for a day of "frolicking."

This discovery marks a somber turn in the search efforts and highlights the challenges of navigating extreme alpine conditions.