Bangkok: Rescue teams have recovered the body of a 53-year-old female hiker who went missing in a southern Thai forest reserve five days ago. The hiker, identified by local officials as a resident of Nonthaburi province, became separated from her group on June 1 while trekking along the Khao Chet Yot trail in the Khao Banthad Wildlife Sanctuary, an area straddling Trang and Phatthalung provinces.
According to Thai News Agency, a search operations team consisting of over 100 forest officials, local authorities, and guides tracked the woman after her group reported she failed to arrive at a designated meeting point near a waterfall in Trang's Palian district. Heavy rainfall and rugged, mountainous terrain severely hampered the multi-day search operation.
Searchers located the body on Thursday evening near a waterfall area. While authorities believe the body is that of the missing hiker, official identification will take place now that the remains have been successfully brought down from the remote forest site.