Authorities have confirmed the tragic discovery of an American woman who went missing during a hike on South Africa’s Table Mountain. She has been found deceased, according to official reports.
Brook Cheuvront, a North Carolina student, found herself in Cape Town undertaking an internship with a non-governmental organization.
A 20-year-old student has been reported missing since Saturday following the cessation of updates from a tracking app she was using during a solo hiking trip. Efforts to contact her have been unsuccessful.
Authorities reported that a body was found on Sunday in the mountainous region of Devil’s Peak, according to local media sources.
South African National Parks (SANParks), the organization responsible for overseeing Table Mountain and various other national parks, reported that the hiker departed her accommodation at noon to climb the mountain.
Concerned friends alerted law enforcement after noticing a lack of updates from her tracking app and being unable to reach her via phone.
Rangers and wilderness search-and-rescue teams conducted a rapid search operation, which was ultimately suspended late Saturday evening.
The search intensified the next day with the addition of a helicopter, which played a crucial role in locating her body on the mountain slopes.
SANParks has released a statement indicating that the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the hiker’s death is ongoing.
Authorities announced that an autopsy is set to take place in order to ascertain the potential cause of death.
SANParks has confirmed that an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Cheuvront’s death is currently underway.
In a statement shared on Facebook, Cheuvront’s father expressed that the family is “devastated.”
“God help me and us,” wrote Steve Cheuvront.
She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is currently pursuing an internship with a non-governmental organization (NGO).
Authorities in South Africa have dismissed concerns regarding crime in Table Mountain National Park. However, they have advised visitors to refrain from hiking alone in a separate communication.