'Missing 411', by David Paulides: Tracking unusual missing persons cases

[unkl brws]

Another strange and sad case of disappearance I just heard about tonight near the town of Cobourg in Ontario, Canada that happened a few days ago. A small child goes missing at a daycare with people searching for him/her, then the child is found right where it was reported missing from. Details are few as to how the child died or how the child disappeared in the first place!

Investigation underway outside Ontario daycare after missing child found dead

A child was found dead after going missing from an Ontario town on Thursday night.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Another strange case with very little information from the media. This time in Alberta, Canada:

2-year-old girl dead after going missing near Canmore, Alta., campground​

2-year-old girl dead after going missing near Canmore, Alta., campground

A two-year-old girl who went missing from Canmore's Bow River Campground on Thursday afternoon has died.

calgary.ctvnews.ca

The child was reported missing at 4:55 p.m., RCMP told CTV News Friday. Approximately an hour and half later, fire crews located the girl in the Bow River.

 

[Niall]

Some more details from the Julian Sands case:


So he's gone missing in a place, and at a time, where bad weather has caused other experienced hikers to die recently, so it's too early to say whether it's a likely 'Missing 411' case.

They've found the body of British actor Julian Sands on Mt. Baldy in California.

What's curious is that - after 5 months and over 500 man-hours of fruitless searching - the following update was given by San Bernardino police on June 17th:

Officials announce “continued ongoing search efforts in the Mount Baldy wilderness for missing hiker Julian Sands. Unfortunately, Mr. Sands was not located.”

Over 80 search and rescue volunteers, deputies and staff participate in the search efforts, supported by two helicopters and drone crews as volunteers search in “remote areas across Mount Baldy,” according to officials.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department shares videos of the helicopters and air support participating in the search on their Twitter page.

Officials say that “despite the recent warmer weather, portions of the mountain remain inaccessible due to extreme alpine conditions,” and that multiple search areas include steep terrain covered in “10 plus feet of ice and snow.”

“Mr. Sands’ missing person case remains active and search efforts will continue in a limited capacity,” sheriffs said.

David Paulides commented in his brief mention of this update that this was the authorities' way of saying, "we're doing one last search, but beyond that, Sands' case is now 'missing, presumed dead'."

Then, one week later, on June 24th, his body was found, accidentally, by hikers. Details are apparently being withheld for now:

The remains were found in the general area of where [the] actor Julian Sands went missing in January. Sheriff’s officials did not reveal the exact location of the find, how complete the skeleton was, or how long they may have been exposed to the elements.

"The manner of death is still under investigation, pending further test results. No further details are available at this time," sheriff’s officials said.

Some news reports have stated that Sands' wallet was found near the remains, but the Daily Press has been unable to confirm.

 

[Voyageur]

This past few days near Vancouver, a missing/found (safe) story emerged. There was a 54 hour gap between missing and found, and 16 teams of SARS searched. They never found her, she walked out.

UPDATE: Missing teen spent 54 hours lost in Golden Ears Provincial Park - Maple Ridge News

Esther Wang emerged from the forest on Thursday evening and is reunited with family

www.mapleridgenews.com

Esther Wang originally went missing on Tuesday, June 27, during a hike along the East Canyon Trail. Originally part of a group of four people, Wang became separated from her companions at around 3 p.m. and the group leader informed park officials.

Esther was part of a cadet group (so she had some life skill training) who was making an effort to earn a bronze Duke of Edinburgh award. The terrain was rough, forested and trailed - she was on a trail, and then disappeared. 16 teams with Heli support is no small thing, with the teams likely taking paths and grids.

Finally, after 54 hours, Wang appeared coming out the East Canyon Trail by herself, where she walked over to her shocked parents waiting in their vehicle.
[...]
“Esther was prepared,” said Smith. “She had some food and had some water.”
[...]
Smith explained that the search efforts, which involved 16 teams from the Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland, and the Sea-to-Sky Corridor, were made even more difficult than usual due to the difficult area that Wang was lost in.

“The steepness of the terrain that Esther was in… it’s very steep and it’s very thick forestation, which did obviously hamper the search efforts,” he said. “There’s a strong tree canopy above there, which limits our use of our helicopters and drones.”
[...]
Many of the details regarding what exactly Wang did during her time lost in the wilderness are yet to be uncovered, said Supt. Mehat. She explained that the RCMP would be looking into that later today to try and get a better picture of what the past 54 hours looked like for Wang.

CTV news states:

A news conference on Wang's return Friday morning left many questions unanswered, however, with officials unable to explain how the teen got lost in the first place and what she did to survive more than two days in the bush.
[...]
In a news conference Wednesday, Ridge Meadows RCMP said the group hiked the East Canyon Trail to Steve’s Lookout, and left the viewpoint at around 2:45 p.m. to return to their campground. About 15 minutes into the walk back to the campsite, the group’s leader realized Wang had become separated from the group.

Police say the hikers went back to the lookout to search for Wang, but couldn’t find her. Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue (SAR) were called in and searched through the night. Neighbouring SAR volunteers joined the effort, which included helicopter support, police dogs and a police drone.
[...]
At Friday's news conference, RMSAR search manager Ryan Smith said a total of 16 search and rescue teams were involved in the search, and additional teams from Vancouver Island had volunteered to come over on Friday to assist if Wang had remained missing.

That turned out to be unnecessary, as Wang walked out of the park on her own around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Mehat.

The RCMP superintendent said Wang exited the provincial park on the East Canyon Trail, the same trail she was on when she became separated from her group. Police believe the first people she saw when she got out of the forest were her parents.
[...]
Wang is an air cadet with her local Langley squadron, 746 Lightning Hawk.
[...]
“Cadets participate in aircrew survival exercise and they learn a variety of skills, such as assembling an emergency kit, operating a stove and lantern, tying knots and lashing, and navigating.”

She explained this week’s hike was not part of a cadet-related activity but was one of the requirements for the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, for which Wang was trying to achieve the bronze level. The award encourages young people to accomplish tasks outside the formal education system.

Looked up a description of the trail itself, which does not sound difficult, it is short at 3.8 km (3,800 meters) and is even accessible by bicycle. There are some steep drop off's, which would likely keep people on the trail. The forest was dense.

She may well explain 'what happened' to her, yet on the surface it seems curious. Glad she made it out unharmed.

 

[hlat]

They've found the body of British actor Julian Sands on Mt. Baldy in California.

What's curious is that - after 5 months and over 500 man-hours of fruitless searching - the following update was given by San Bernardino police on June 17th:


David Paulides commented in his brief mention of this update that this was the authorities' way of saying, "we're doing one last search, but beyond that, Sands' case is now 'missing, presumed dead'."

Then, one week later, on June 24th, his body was found, accidentally, by hikers. Details are apparently being withheld for now:

Being found in an area previously searched many times is a classic Missing 411 characteristic.

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1676361366960234496

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK – Officials at Yosemite National Park are asking visitors for assistance in finding a backpacker who has been missing since Sunday.

According to park rangers, Hayden T. Klemenok was hiking with a group at Upper Chilnualna Fall on Sunday. Around 2 p.m., he entered Chilnualna Creek near the trail junction.

Klemenok has not been seen since. Officials said he was last seen wearing a tan, brimmed hat, white sunglasses, a red t-shirt, blue swimming trunks and white Adidas shoes.

According to his profile on LinkedIn, Klemenok is originally from the Bay Area and had studied at Santa Rosa Junior College between 2017 and 2020. Klemenok finished his studies at San Diego State University and most recently worked as a financial analyst at a San Diego realty company.

Visitors who may have seen Klemenok or who may have been hiking off trail in the area of Upper Chilnualna Fall since Sunday are asked to contact park officials to help in the search.

"Simply knowing where you went and when you were there may help us focus the search, whether you saw anyone or not," park officials said.

Anyone with information about Klemenok's disappearance is asked to email YOSE_Desk_Officer@nps.gov or call the park's dispatch at 209-379-1992.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1675173975326969859

Add:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1667675296051625984

Hunter Fraser, a backpacker that has been missing since June 7th, self-rescued via the Dosewallips River Trail with the assistance of other hikers. He was driven to Quilcene, WA where his family, park personnel, and medical responders met him.

Mr. Fraser had planned a 40-mile backpacking trip and intended to be back in Seattle on June 7th. He was reported overdue by a family member late in the day on June 7th. The search for Mr. Fraser began on June 8th and continued until park personnel received word he was able to self-rescue on June 10th. The search effort included air support, ground teams, and dog teams from a variety of agencies, many of which are volunteers. In all there were approximately 90 search and rescue personnel involved.

Olympic National Park wants to extend gratitude to the numerous organizations that helped with the search operations: Washington State SAR Planning Unit, Quilcene Fire & Rescue, Snohomish County Volunteer SAR, Kitsap County ESAR, Jefferson County SAR, Olympic Mountain Rescue, Pierce County ESAR, Tacoma Mountain Rescue, Clallam County SAR, Mount Rainier National Park, U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard.

 

[Voyageur]

She may well explain 'what happened' to her, yet on the surface it seems curious. Glad she made it out unharmed.

Ester speaks out:

"Cold and freezing": BC teen who survived two nights in the wilderness speaks out | Canada

How did a BC teen survive two nights lost and alone in the woods? Esther Wang says her faith and experience came in handy at Golden Ears Park.

dailyhive.com

Wang wrote about her experience online, saying before that moment she was only about two metres away from the group, but as they were leaving the viewpoint she was focusing on the steep and challenging terrain.

At one point, the group made a turn somewhere along the trail, but I did not notice because I was solely concentrating on following the trail right in front of me. Because of this, I turned the wrong way and ended up on the wrong path. Once I realized that the rest of my group was no longer in front of me, I tried to turn around, but I tripped and fell down until I reached a flatter part of the mountain,” Wang posted on westca.com, which Daily Hive has translated into English.

 

[Ca.]

New phase of research by Emile at Vernet: "You almost have to start from scratch"​

Nouvelle phase de recherches d’Emile au Vernet : «Il faut presque repartir de zéro»

Depuis ce mardi 11 juillet, le hameau du Haut-Vernet est «sanctuarisé», avec un dispositif de recherche ciblé. Blaise Agresti, ex-patron du peloton de gendarmerie de haute montagne décrypte cette nouvelle approche.

www-liberation-fr.translate.goog

6:20 PM · Jul 11, 2023 3,683 Views
Since Tuesday July 11, the hamlet of Haut-Vernet has been “sanctuarized”. The hunts were stopped and a targeted search system was favored. Blaise Agresti, ex-boss of the high mountain gendarmerie platoon, explains this new approach.

A change of strategy. More than forty-eight hours after the report of the disappearance of Emile in Vernet (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), the authorities decided to change the search system this Tuesday, July 11. The searches already carried out have not made it possible to locate Emile in the initial perimeter of 5 km around the hamlet of Haut-Vernet and its 25 dwellings, in a mountainous area, steep and dotted with small streams.

But time is running out to find the boy, who has already spent three nights and two days alone, without eating or drinking, in difficult heat conditions, the department being on heat wave vigilance. If the beats, unsuccessful, were stopped, the prefect of the department announced an "adaptation" of the search device "so that it is more targeted and selective" . The new rescue mission around Haut-Vernet: deploy "specialized means in search of traces and clues" of Emile, said the prefect. The search resumed this Tuesday morning at 8 a.m., and is now being carried out by soldiers from the Chamonix high mountain gendarmerie platoon (PGHM).

Blaise Agresti, an expert in mountain rescue and crisis management, was for more than twenty years in charge of various operational units, including the famous PGHM in Chamonix. For Liberation , he explains the particularities of this research phase.

What is a “targeted search device”?

After the alert of the disappearance of the child, the first phase of combing was carried out with many people, including people of good will who want to help. It is a time when research is massive in the field, but at the same time a work of investigation and investigation is carried out by the forces of order to allow the hypotheses to be closed as quickly as possible one after the other. others.

Now we are entering another dimension with the work of expert organizations. We then carry out a meticulous, careful search. It's a real refinement phase, which is much more like a judicial investigation, with the rigor of the research sections. The investigators will leave the home in a "snail", that is to say in concentric circles from the house of Emile's grandparents. Finally, in this second phase, you almost have to start from scratch. Closer, to once again sweep everything away and remove all doubts.

How is Emile's research special?

It is first of all research in a place difficult to access, in the middle of the mountains, that must be fully investigated. Search the rivers and streams that dot this area. It is an area with lots of small reliefs, many small places to explore. And we must keep in mind that we are here on a particular specificity for public opinion with the painful imagination that this implies: the disappearance of a child.

All the red lights come on, because we are not on adult behavior, but on the lookout for a child, a vulnerable person in this type of terrain. It is therefore a sprint that is played for its survival.

Read also
Disappearance of Emile at Vernet: what we know about the little boy

What human and technical resources are involved in this type of research?

The authority responsible for a worrying disappearance is the public prosecutor. The gendarmerie is the force on the ground conducting operations, with technical units such as helicopters or rescuers who come in addition to resources.

In addition, the high mountain gendarmerie platoon is used to carrying out operations on this type of terrain, which is difficult to access. It has several resources for this, such as dog teams, divers and high mountain rescuers. A local command post is also set up. The mission is piloted in a Cartesian manner and relies in particular on cartography.

Was the search stopped at night?

Searches usually continue overnight, as long as they are effective. The teams are however in light mode, with a little less people. But they use technical means such as infrared cameras or night vision systems.

FMTV.com. Le 11/07/2023 à 18:21 | Durée : 0:37 Video
Disappearance of Émile: "In the current high heat, the vital prognosis is very engaged", indicates the prosecutor of Digne-les-BainsÉmile, a two-and-a-half-year-old child, missing since Saturday evening, after escaping the vigilance of his grandparents in Vernet (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) remains untraceable on Tuesday, despite the establishment of a “more targeted and selective device”, following unsuccessful hunts.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1678761877206339586

#Vernet A little Yannis Moré boy #disparu in exactly the same conditions as the little one #Emile 30 years ago, 60km from the village of Vernet



Disappearance of little Émile: the track of the accident and the concealment of the body would be privileged
13h55, le 11 juillet 2023, modifié à 15h25, le 11 juillet 2023
Without news of little Émile, the search continues in Vernet, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. The various hunts organized in recent days have yielded nothing. Monday, the announcement of a new strategy. The circumstances of the disappearance are also beginning to become clear.

Make way for changes in strategy to try to find little Émile, aged two and a half, who disappeared on Saturday late afternoon around his grandparents' house, in the hamlet of Haut-Vernet. It is only the gendarmes who begin the search. A scenario about the child's disappearance seems to be taking shape.

The accident trail ​

And it would be that of the accident, followed by the hiding of little Emile's body. For the moment, the prosecution does not confirm any information. The public prosecutor continues to mention that he does not favor any thesis. The research section of the Marseille gendarmerie is continuing its hearings. The men of this section notably questioned certain residents of the village and in particular the hamlet of Haut-Vernet, made up of 25 houses and the place where the two-and-a-half-year-old boy disappeared.

Police custody would have taken place that night before being lifted. The place where the child disappeared is a small hamlet. Located at the very top of the village of Vernet, this hamlet is crossed by a road that sinks in the direction of the mountain towards another valley.

"There are few cars passing. There are tractors, local farmers. There are the inhabitants of Haut-Vernet who go up, who go down", explains a resident. Another replies: "I don't think the little one went frolicking on his own."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1678688794835398657

Since early morning. Gendarmes from the PGHM of Jausiers, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, but also mobile gendarmes and soldiers from the foreign engineering regiment, comb the top of the town in search of clues or the body of little Émile.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1678506259215990784

This weather information is changing hourly.


Probable supercell in the Saint-Gervais-d' sector #Auvergne with a penetrating summit which stands out on the SW of the anvil.The #orages between northern Rhône and northern Loire are trying to organize themselves into multicells.



A translated version from an earlier copy of today's news on #Emile can be read below.

Marseille : 4 interpellations après le passage à tabac de policiers hors service lors des émeutes

Suspectés d’avoir frappé deux fonctionnaires hors service au cours de la première nuit émeutes, les quatre hommes ont été mis en examen et incarcérés

www.laprovence.com

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1679075636021714945

Disappearance of #Émile: more than 40,000 children vanish each year in France
https://lamontagne.fr/paris-75000/actualites/disparition-d-emile-plus-de-40-000-enfants-se-volatilisent-chaque-annee-en-france_14342347/
Line-2 opinion
95% are runaways, but there are still 2000 left, i.e. more than 150 per month, so about 5 per day

DIRECT. Disappearance of Emile: the current search operation will end this Wednesday evening

[VIDEO] DIRECT. Disparition d'Emile : l'opération de ratissage en cours prendra fin ce mercredi soir

Plus de trois jours après la disparition d'Emile au Vernet dans les Alpes de Haute-Provence, l'enfant reste introuvable. La maman de l'enfant a été entendue mardi dans le cadre de l'enquête. Où est Emile et sera-t-il...

www.ladepeche.fr

https://twitter.com/x/status/1679005533276184576

A little boy has disappeared and this is what the left hastens to make as a rapprochement which has absolutely nothing to do with the disappearance of #Émile .They did exactly the same with the family of #AxelleDorier during the trial where we had the impression of being on trial of the family just because they voted RN...Incredible the level of sondeputerie of the left.
Line-2
The father of #Emile , Colomban Soleil, ratonneur, far-right activist from the Social Bastion dissolved in 2018.


I have to agree with the statement as in the village at my location.

All eyes watch who comes and goes, and each and every one in this small town makes a mental note of foreign plates on vehicles. All 380 that give witnesses) of a passing.

 

[Beau]

This sad case caught my eye as a potential Missing 411 case.

Missing Ohio State grad student who vanished last month is found dead in remote quarry

“Most people who truly knew Amina immediately remember her laugh – it was contagious and brought happiness to everyone in the room,” her obituary states.

nypost.com

She was found dead in a quarry behind a gas station where she was last spotted. Search crews had to have looked there. Also, the following detail is definitely a profile point for missing 411 cases:

Her jacket, shoes and cellphone were all found on the property, her sister said last month.

Why would she go walk into a rock quarry without her shoes and phone?

 

[JEEP]

She was found dead in a quarry behind a gas station where she was last spotted.

The Columbus Dispatch has run stories about her being missing - this one dated July 1:

'A soft, kind soul.' Missing Ohio State student's sisters aren't giving up hope

Miriam and Zenab Alhaj-Omar are hopeful their sister, Amina Alhaj-Omar, an Ohio State student who went missing on June 10, will soon be found.

www.dispatch.com

Pertinent details:

So, when Amina, 26, stopped answering Zenab’s texts earlier this month, she got concerned.

Then, the 24-year-old realized her older sister’s phone was off and texted their eldest sister, Miriam, to go check on Amina at the apartment that Zenab and Amina had shared for years.

Miriam, 28, found Amina’s purse outside the apartment, but no Amina.

She thinks the two kitchen knives police say her sister was seen with while at a BP gas station on the South Side on the morning of June 10 were for protection.

Police described her behavior at the gas station as "very unusual," and Zenab said it's clear from the state of her apartment that her behavior was odd.

"You could just tell she was going through a crisis," she said.

That was one of the last confirmed sightings of Amina. Behind the gas station, camera footage showed Amina going into a small outbuilding with bathrooms in it and then going beyond those, where a large sand, gravel and limestone quarry is located. She was spotted the morning of June 10 around 8 a.m. by staff of the Olen Corporation, which owns the quarry, but hasn’t been seen since.

In the intervening weeks, police used helicopters, drones, horses, ATVs, dogs and foot searches to try and locate Amina. They also deployed a boat with sonar and divers at the quarry.

Amina struggled with mental health problems in the past, though Miriam and Zenab declined to name her diagnosis to protect her privacy.

Five years ago was when they first realized something was wrong. Amina was acting very paranoid and fearful and was hospitalized for a few days. She wanted to go on walks and get away from others, Zenab said.

Zenab now thinks their mother’s death may have triggered her then. This time, the sisters think something triggered Amina’s symptoms again, though they don’t know what it was.

“She is dealing with mental health problems,” Miriam said. “She isn’t in the same frame of mind that she would (normally) be.”

Miriam thinks Amina left Friday night to go for a drive and that she just wanted to get away. Zenab said Amina likely went into the quarry to isolate herself from others.

The sisters said police think she could've gone in the quarry pond, believed to be very deep. Miriam said Amina loves to swim.

Reported yesterday by nbc4:

Columbus police confirmed in a statement that a body found in south Columbus on July 12 at 2:42 p.m. was later identified by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office as Alhaj-Omar. Officials have not said how Alhaj-Omar died. The coroner’s office said her body was in a body of water.

“Officers found the body of the 25-year-old in a remote area where she was last reportedly seen,” the statement from police reads.

https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/columbus/family-says-ohio-state-student-who-went-missing-in-june-found-dead/

Seems likely that she was having a mental crisis that resulted in her death by drowning.

 

[Voyageur]

She was found dead in a quarry behind a gas station where she was last spotted. Search crews had to have looked there.

In the intervening weeks, police used helicopters, drones, horses, ATVs, dogs and foot searches to try and locate Amina. They also deployed a boat with sonar and divers at the quarry.

The sisters said police think she could've gone in the quarry pond, believed to be very deep. Miriam said Amina loves to swim.

The coroner’s office said her body was in a body of water.

Seems likely that she was having a mental crisis that resulted in her death by drowning.

Sadly, yes a crisis.

In the end, she was found in the quarry where they had looked, scanned and used sonar, albeit "believed to be deep".

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1679988600652324864

Disappearance of Émile, 2 and a half years old: "The sensor had picked up a movement" did the little boy reappear in the garden of a couple?​

Published on07/18/2023 at 08:16

The face of the smiling little blond, a dandelion in his ear, is on everyone's mind, to the point that some people think they see him appear at the most inopportune times.

It has now been more than a week since Émile, a 2.5-year-old boy, disappeared in Le Vernet ( Alpes-de-Haute-Provence ), where he was on vacation at his grandparents' house.

97 hectares of land around the village were searched, all its inhabitants, people present at the time of the events and even more, were questioned, the houses of the hamlet and cars were also explored, in vain.

Now, the investigations have entered a new phase. Excavations have given way to analysis: a long-term task that requires time. Also, the investigation switched to the preliminary investigation on Monday.

Perhaps even worse, the investigators have no clue whether it is the kidnapping, the accident with concealment of the body or the animal attack. " No track is privileged and no hypothesis is excluded ", summed up the situation in these words the public prosecutor.

To read also: Disappearance of Émile, 2 and a half years old: "If this is the case, we will blame ourselves eternally", this terrible doubt which gnaws at the gendarmes in charge of research.

Did little Émile reappear in a couple's garden? "The sensor had detected a movement"​

Since then, the face of the smiling little blond, a dandelion in his ear, has been on everyone's mind, to the point that some people think they see him appear at the most inopportune times. In the columns of Le Parisien, a couple from Marseille recounts having believed in the reappearance of little Émile a few days ago, in the middle of the night. As they slept peacefully at home, Yves and Janick (not their real names) were awakened by the automatic light in their garden. " The sensor had captured a movement", explains our colleagues.

The sixties immediately thought of the little boy. Would he have passed in front of their house? Quietly, the two pensioners got up to check. Unfortunately, this is not the child they found in front of their house. " It was a cat. Just a cat".



Since then, Yves and Janick have been haunted by the image of little Émile. At each of their walks, the two sexagenarians cannot help but peek around the edges of their path in search of him. " We would really like him to appear...", confides Janick.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1680298700529192961

 

[JEEP]

David Paulides vid (32:06) on Emile:

 

[Gwenllian]

David Paulides vid (32:06) on Emile:

David Paulides criticises the French police for stopping the search after four days, but they still investigate Emile's father 'extreme-right background'. So, what is going on.

Probe into 'extreme-right background' of parents of missing Emile

Interestingly, the village also made headlines after that Germanwings air crash in 2015,

Germanwings crash: Not the full story?

When I heard about the crash of Germanwings Flight GWI9525 in the French Alps on the morning of March 24th, I was shocked, but to be honest, not that shocked. It's not that I expected it to happen, but this was the fifth such incident in the last...

www.sott.net

Residents of Vernet have meanwhile been referring to the place as a cursed 'village of the damned' because of its links with disaster.

In March 2015, Vernet was also cordoned off following a horrific air crash in which 150 people died, including two babies.

Germanwings Airbus A320 was deliberately brought down by co-pilot Andres Lubitz, who had previously been treated for suicidal tendencies.

Many Vernet residents took part in high mountain searches for possible survivors at the time.

They also opened their homes to family and friends of those who perished in the disaster.

 

[Niall]

They've found the body of British actor Julian Sands on Mt. Baldy in California.

What's curious is that - after 5 months and over 500 man-hours of fruitless searching - the following update was given by San Bernardino police on June 17th:


David Paulides commented in his brief mention of this update that this was the authorities' way of saying, "we're doing one last search, but beyond that, Sands' case is now 'missing, presumed dead'."

Then, one week later, on June 24th, his body was found, accidentally, by hikers. Details are apparently being withheld for now:

Update on the Julian Sands case:

Actor Julian Sands' cause of death ruled 'undetermined'​

The cause of death for British actor Julian Sands, who went missing while hiking on a mountain in California in January, has officially been ruled as "undetermined", local authorities have said.

Mr Sands, who shot to fame as the romantic hero in the 1980s period drama "A Room with a View", vanished on the 3,000m Mount San Antonio, known locally as Mount Baldy.

But it was not until June that human remains, later determined to be those of Mr Sands, were discovered by hikers. Mr Sands was 65.

"The cause is 'Undetermined' due to the condition of the body and because no other factors were discovered during the coroner's investigation," a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County sheriff-coroner's department told AFP in a statement.

"This is common when dealing with cases of this type," she added. "This is the final determination."