TRAGIC

Family’s Fears Confirmed as Body of Hiker Missing in Bear Country Found

But authorities say it doesn’t appear that an animal was responsible for her death.

The body of an Australian hiker who went missing in Canadian bear country has been found after a search involving police dogs and a drone, authorities said. Family and friends became concerned about 25-year-old Julia-Mary Lane, who was originally from Brisbane but had been living in Alberta since January, after she failed to return from a trip at Bear Lane near the town of Kimberley. “Unfortunately, searchers found the woman, deceased,” the Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed on Wednesday. “The death is not considered suspicious.” RCMP corporal James Grandy told The Guardian that Lane’s death “looks accidental, due to steep terrain.” “All evidence of the scene shows she accidentally maybe lost her footing,” he said. “However it is in [the] hands of the coroner service, [which is] still working to investigate.”