Family of British teenager lost in Romanian mountains says they now accept loss

The family of George Smyth, the student of the University of Bristol lost in Romania's Bucegi Mountains since November 23, 2025, said they now accept the loss, BBC reported.

Smyth set off from Poiana Braşov, contacting rescuers from Tiganesti. The 18-year-old was disoriented, exhausted, and showing signs of hypothermia on the call, according to the rescuers.

He was in an isolated area of the mountain range, and the weather was severe. Although rescuers set off to find him, they never managed to do so.

The search for Smyth has been repeatedly hampered by severe weather conditions, including the risk of avalanches. The team said the amount of snow in the area made it unsafe and "operationally impossible" to carry out search activities.

At present, the search was suspended due to avalanche risks.

“At this moment, the search actions are suspended due to the high risk of avalanches, as well as the very large volume of snow accumulated in the area. These conditions make it impossible to carry out any intervention safely for the rescue teams. At the same time, the significant amount of deposited snow makes the search action impossible,” the Brașov mountain rescue service said.

Smyth's family issued a statement via the rugby club he played for, Newport Salop RUFC, detailing their “immense grief and sadness that we can no longer see him, speak to him or hold him in our arms.”

"George was a phenomenally kind and selfless person, fiercely loyal to his friends and full of energy and enthusiasm for everything he did. We will never forget George's unique character. He brought so much to our lives and had more impact on the world during his 18 years than many people achieve over much longer periods,” the family said, according to the BBC.

In a statement, the mountain rescue service said that despite the many emergencies they face, a dedicated unit of specially trained mountain rescuers remains on standby and fully prepared to intervene should new information about George Smyth arise.

(Photo source: Salvamont Brasov on Facebook)