Search efforts for missing British actor Julian Sands, best known for roles in films like “The Killing Fields” and “A Room with a View,” have resumed some five months after he disappeared during a snowy hike in the southern California mountains.
“On Saturday, June 17, 2023, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department continued ongoing search efforts in the Mount Baldy wilderness for missing hiker Julian Sands,” the sheriff’s department said in a Monday news release. “Unfortunately, Mr. Sands was not located.”
More than 80 rescue volunteers, deputies and staff kicked off renewed search efforts over the weekend in “remote areas across Mount Baldy” with two helicopters assisting from above, according to officials. The search was further supported by drones tasked with combing through areas that ground crews were not able to access.
Sands, described by friends as an experienced hiker, was reported missing by his family on Jan. 13 in the Mount Baldy Bowl area of the San Gabriel Mountains outside Los Angeles. Since then, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department has conducted eight ground and air searches, with volunteers providing more than 500 hours of search time.
Despite authorities’ best efforts, severe weather in the region has provided challenges amid their search for Sands. And while the recent warmer weather has helped, “portions of the mountain remain inaccessible due to extreme alpine conditions. Multiple areas include steep terrain and ravines, which still have 10 plus feet of ice and snow,” the sheriff’s office said.
Sands most recently appeared in a recurring role in the Netflix series “What/If.” He also appeared in the shows “24″ and “Smallville” as well as in films including “Arachnophobia” and “Leaving Las Vegas.”