The family of missing British actor Julian Sands praised the Californian authorities for their efforts in trying to find him. The actor went missing on January 13 when he went hiking in the northeast of Los Angeles. The family said that the "outpouring of love and support" they had received had "deeply moved" them, as per a report in the BBC.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office took to Facebook to share the family's statement. "As we enter day 11 of the search for Julian Sands on Mt. Baldy, we are reminded of the sheer determination and selflessness of all of the people who have aided in this search. We will continue to utilize the resources available to us in the days to come. We would like to share the following statement from the Sands family and ask that you to keep them in your thoughts through this difficult time," the family said in the statement.
It added, "Our heartfelt thanks to the compassionate members of the San Bernardino county sheriff's department who are coordinating the search for our beloved Julian, not least the heroic search teams listed below who are braving difficult conditions on the ground and in the air to bring Julian home." The family added, "We are deeply touched by the outpouring of love and support."
The search operation was launched immediately after Mr Sands went missing in the Baldy Bowl region of the San Gabriel Mountains. An avalanche risk and poor terrain conditions caused crews to stop the initial search for the actor on January 14, according to the Sheriff's department.
A series of deadly storms that were fueled by atmospheric rivers struck California during the last few weeks and brought torrential rain and snow, flooding and damage to the area.
According to The Guardian, the actor's phone appeared to show he was on the move on the day he was reported missing, heading further into the mountainous area of Baldy Bowl. On Monday, a spokesperson for the Sheriff's department said that conditions were "still too dangerous for ground crews to operate, and that searches would be conducted by helicopter only".
