A search has resumed for a missing hiker a week after he was last seen, with hiking poles and rubbish found as New South Wales rescue workers scour the rugged terrain.
Hadi Nazari, 23, was descending a challenging trail in Kosciuszko national park about 2.30pm on 26 December when he was last seen by friends, who raised the alarm when he did not arrive at a campground.
NSW police, National Parks and Wildlife Service, State Emergency Service, NSW ambulance and volunteer rescuers have been searching for Nazari ever since.
Rubbish and hiking poles believed to belong to him were found late on Tuesday evening.
He was not carrying a personal locator beacon but was thought to have a reasonable amount of water and camping gear, police have told reporters.
A helicopter with infrared imaging technology has been used in the search and specialist crews have been flown into the rugged terrain.
Nazari was last seen on the Hannels Spur track between Khancoban and Thredbo. It is regarded as one of Australia’s most challenging bushwalking trails, with an 1,800m change in elevation.
“It’s part of the most rugged terrain in NSW, it’s very steep, it’s very vegetated, and it’s quite remote,” a NSW police acting superintendent, Jillian Gibson, told reporters earlier in the search.