European officials continue to investigate the “strange case” of George Smyth, an 18-year-old college student who went missing during a “solo” hike in Romania.
According to The UK Sun, Smyth was traveling from Poiana Brașov toward the village of Bran, home to the legendary fortress known as “Dracula’s Castle," a castle in Romania that has become a popular tourist destination for its link to the fictional character,
The University of Bristol student was last heard from on November 23, when he called the mountain rescue service for help. He reportedly told emergency personnel he was in the Tiganesti Valley and was suffering from hypothermia and exhaustion. He was advised to retrace his steps to the Mălăiești Chalet, but apparently never made it back.
Authorities said they discovered Smyth’s belongings in the area of his distress call. His backpack reportedly contained a sleeping bag and a stove.
“It is a very strange case,” Sebastian Marinescu, chief of the rescue service, told the Sun. “I don’t know why he didn’t use [the sleeping bag and heat source] to keep warm… When you go into hypothermia, you don’t stay in one place, because you fall asleep without realizing it. I do not know why he did not come back to the chalet.”
Marinescu said the route Smyth took wasn’t typically “difficult” under normal weather conditions, but the student embarked on the hike during high winds, snowfall, and fog.
“I do not understand why didn’t he stop if he saw that the weather was terrible,” the chief said. “I mean, it was totally unsuitable for someone to go up the mountain.”
Rescuers reportedly paused their search for 48 hours, as heavy snowfall led to a high avalanche risk. Officials told The Sun they would resume rescue efforts on Thursday. The search reportedly includes 50 rescuers, a canine unit, and a fleet of drones and helicopters.
“We are ready, the whole team is mobilized, and we are waiting to go up again for searches,” Marinescu said. “Today, in the afternoon, we will climb again to the Mălăiești cabin. We will continue the searches on Thursday, December 4, and we hope to have good weather.”
Smyth’s mom, Jo Smyth, told Antena 1 TV that she and her family have since traveled to Romania to assist the search efforts. She suggested her son was an experienced hiker, but never informed the family about his solo hike.
“He kept this trip from us so we would not worry about him,” she said.