Body found in Romania believed to be British teen missing since November 2025
The body of 18-year-old British citizen George Smyth, a geology student at the University of Bristol, was found during search operations in Romania, according to an announcement from the Avon and Somerset Police cited by The Guardian.
Smyth went missing in November 2025. The student, originally from Newport, Shropshire, is believed to have left Poiana Brașov heading towards Bran. He reached the Țigănești area, from where he made an emergency call for help due to extreme exhaustion. A full-scale rescue operation was launched to find the missing teenager. Canine teams also took part in the search-and-rescue operation, while drones and helicopters were used.
Sebastian Marinescu, from the local Salvamont service, had previously told the BBC that the 18-year-old “was disoriented, physically exhausted and already showing signs of hypothermia” when rescuers received the emergency call.
Rescuers said that the young man was in a “very isolated and difficult-to-access mountainous area.” At the same time, weather conditions were extremely severe, with strong winds, heavy snowfall and dense fog. As a result, the operation had to be ended.
On Wednesday, August 12, mountain rescue teams announced that they had resumed searches in “the previously indicated areas, beneath the rock walls, in hard-to-access sectors,” but without success, according to Libertatea.
However, on Friday, August 14, parts of a human skeleton were discovered by two shepherds. Salvamont rescuers had searched the area recently, but the exact location where the body was found was covered in ice. A day later, Smyth’s family was informed that a body with his identification documents was found.
“We are all devastated by George’s death. He was the best of us and is deeply missed by his younger brothers, family and friends,” they said, according to the same source. “We want to thank Salvamont mountain rescue, who have worked tirelessly since November searching for George, despite very difficult and often dangerous conditions,” the message read.
Following official identification, the necessary steps will be taken to repatriate Smyth’s body to the United Kingdom.
(Photo source: Salvamont Brasov on Facebook)
