A teenager has been found dead in a ravine after getting lost while hiking with his family.
Liam Daniel Henry Rézac had set off on Tuesday (22 Jul) with his parents and brother.
While the others took a rest, the 15-year-old decided to continue the climb alone towards the 2,856m summit.
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It’s believed he reached a fork in the trail, took the wrong turn, and eventually entered dense undergrowth.
Distressed, he sent a message to his parents at 6:38 p.m. saying: “I’m lost, I’ll try to find another way.”
The message included his GPS location.
When he stopped responding, the family alerted the Italian emergency services, who launched a full-scale search.
André Chaussod of the Aosta fire brigade told local media on Wednesday (23 Jul): “It was around 8 p.m. when the alarm was raised.
“The rescue operation was launched immediately, involving 11 firefighters, along with volunteers, drones, and sniffer dogs.
“The mayor of Valpelline and five members of the Guardia di Finanza mountain rescue team also took part.
“Searches continued without interruption through the night.
“This morning, the boy’s body was spotted during a civil protection helicopter flyover.”
Liam was found at around 2,000 metres above sea level in a ravine near the Becca di Viou mountain trail.
He is thought to have slipped and fallen shortly after sending his final message, as reported by Need To Know.
He likely died instantly due to the severity of his injuries.
Liam and his family had arrived just days earlier from Erbrée in Brittany, France, for a short holiday.
Rescuers said he was wearing only trainers, not appropriate footwear for such a demanding hike.
The Guardia di Finanza’s alpine rescue unit is now investigating the incident.
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