The family of Aziz Ziriat, a 36-year-old hiker from London, has expressed their heartbreak after his body was found in the Italian Dolomites on Saturday.
Ziriat disappeared on New Year’s Day while hiking with friend Sam Harris. His remains were discovered by a specialist rescue team approximately 400 meters (1,300 feet) below the site where Harris’s body had been found nearly five months earlier.
In a statement, Mr. Ziriat’s family said:
“While we are relieved to have finally found him, there are no words to describe how heartbroken we are to lose our beloved Aziz.”
They extended their “heartfelt thanks and deepest gratitude” to the alpine rescue team, firefighters, police, and volunteers who had worked “tirelessly in challenging and dangerous conditions” to locate him.
“Being with Aziz was to witness his deep connection with and appreciation of life,” the family added. “He lived every moment with optimism, good humour and humility. He was, and continues to be, loved by so many.”
Remembering a Beloved Friend
Sam Harris’s body was recovered on January 8. The two friends were last seen on January 1 and had failed to check in for their scheduled flight home on January 6. Their last known location was near Casina Dosson, a mountain hut close to the town of Tione Di Trento, near Lake Garda.
Mr. Ziriat’s remains were found in the Passo di Conca area. Trentino Alpine and Speleological Rescue confirmed that a search team, including a canine unit, located his body in a snow-covered rocky crevice after descending a steep slope.
The Palace for Life Foundation, the official charity of Crystal Palace Football Club where Mr. Ziriat worked, said it was “deeply saddened” by the news.
“Aziz was an incredible person with an infectious love for life,” the charity said in a statement. “During his time with us, he formed close connections within the local community. He was compassionate, kind, and generous—someone who brought warmth and positivity to everyone he met. He is deeply missed by us all at Palace.”
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