Search resumes for missing British hiker in Italy

The search and rescue operation for a second British man who went missing while hiking in Italy's Dolomite Mountains has resumed.

Aziz Ziriat, 36, and Samuel Harris, 35, from London, had not been heard from since 1 January. The alarm was raised after the pair failed to check into their flight home on 6 January.

On Wednesday, rescue teams announced they had found a body "unfortunately lifeless, buried under the snow", believed to be that of Mr Harris.

The search was temporarily suspended due to bad weather on Thursday.

In a statement on Friday, the Italian rescue services said they were concentrating the search in the place where the first body was found.

Rescue attempts in recent days have been hampered by heavy snowfall.

In a statement on Thursday, Italian rescue services said: "Due to bad weather, with rain in the valley bottom and snowfall in the mountains, today the search for the second mountaineer missing from the Adamello group was temporarily suspended".

Rescue teams cleared the road leading to the top of Val di Borzago from snow, in efforts to speed up searches by helicopter on Friday, the statement added.

More than 50 personnel from Alpine Rescue, Guardia di Finanza Rescue, Carabinieri and the local fire brigade are all involved in the search.

The discovery of a body, believed to be that of Mr Harris, was discovered by rescuers at the foot of a rock face on Carè Alto mountain near Trento, at an altitude of about 2,400m above sea level.

The discovery was made where a phone signal was last recorded from one of the men.

The exact cause of death is still unclear.

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