Efforts are currently underway to locate an American journalist reported missing by his family after embarking on a solo backpacking expedition on a glacier within Norway’s Folgefonna National Park.
Thirty-eight-year-old Alec Luhn was reported to Norwegian authorities on Monday when he failed to board his flight back to England. He had departed for a hike on July 31 in Odda, southwestern Norway, as stated by his wife, Veronika Silchenko, who used social media to appeal for information from anyone who might have seen him.
Luhn, an acclaimed American climate journalist, had been on holiday with his family before commencing his hike, and had shared his whereabouts, as reported by CBS News.
His family expressed no initial concern, considering him an experienced outdoor enthusiast, the outlet noted. While they anticipated potential lack of mobile signal, they contacted the police when he did not appear for his return flight on Monday evening.
Silchenko, an Emmy-winning television journalist, recounted that her husband sent a photograph from his last known position in Odda on Thursday, stating, “that was the last time I heard from him.”
“Alec possesses a profound fascination with the Arctic,” Silchenko informed CBS News. “He holds a deep affection for glaciers and snow, and an admiration for explorers. As a climate journalist, he is perpetually drawn to the narrative of their current regression due to climate change, and he makes every effort to visit the world’s coldest regions.”
Although originally from Wisconsin, Luhn resides in London with his wife.
His reporting work includes contributions to numerous publications, including The Guardian, The New York Times, The Atlantic, National Geographic, Scientific American, TIME, CBS News Radio, and VICE News TV.
Adverse weather conditions compelled the suspension of a helicopter-assisted search operation on Monday night, according to police statements.
“The weather deteriorated significantly around midnight. At that point, it was impractical to persist with the mountain search,” Tatjana Knappen of the Western Police District informed Norway’s public broadcaster, NRK.
On Tuesday, a volunteer search and rescue team, police personnel, sniffer dogs, and drones resumed the search, only for it to be halted once more because of prevailing weather.
The authorities confirmed that search operations had continued throughout Tuesday. They noted that the search teams were local and well-acquainted with the landscape, but described the efforts as exceptionally difficult due to arduous conditions and severe weather.