The body of a missing tourist from the United States has been found in Los Glaciares National Park in southern Argentina after an unsuccessful four-day search.
The search and rescue mission for Neha Malla, 40, ended unsuccessfully on Friday when the team found the late tourist’s body “in the sector called Laguna de las Mellizas,” the park’s authorities said in a statement published on the site’s Facebook page.
Authorities at the park, which is home to the well-known Mount Fitz Roy and the Perito Moreno glacier, said they were waiting for an improvement in weather conditions to send an Argentine Army helicopter to the site of the discovery to bring back her remains.
"The National Park accompanies Neha's family in this painful and sad moment. And we thank all those who participated in this rescue and the Municipality of El Chalten who collaborated in the logistics," the statement read.
The woman went missing on Tuesday, November 28. She was "last seen" at 9am local time crossing the Fitz Roy river bridge, the park said on its social media account.
Malla had arrived in Santa Cruz Province on a group trip, the TN news channel reported and set off on Tuesday on a free day.
The 40-year-old woman had reportedly decided to go on an excursion alone to hike the Loma del Pliegue Tumbado trail and go trekking in the national park.
Malla was due to return back to her bus at 4pm to continue on with the rest of the group to Chile, but she never re-appeared.
Local reporting said fears she was lost worsened when heavy rain and wind hit the area.
More than 100 rescuers were involved in the search for Malla. Brigadiers from the Argentine Army joined the operation on Thursday.
The 40-year-old’s cause of death will be determined by the courts.
– TIMES/AFP
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