The remains of Julian Sands have been identified in the California wilderness

Human remains found Saturday in the Southern California wilderness have been identified as those of British actor Julian Sands, authorities said Tuesday, who has been missing since January after walking in the area.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in the current situation that the remains were “positively identified” as those of Mr Sands, and that the cause of death was still under investigation “pending further test results”.

Mr. Sands, 65, from North Hollywood, was an enthusiastic hiker best known for his role in the critically acclaimed 1986 film A Room With a View. The film, an adaptation of the E.M. Forster novel, regularly ranks as one of the best British films ever made. .

He has also appeared in dozens of other movies and TV shows, including “Arachnophobia”, “Naked Lunch”, “Warlock” and “Ocean’s Thirteen”.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said the remains were found by hikers Saturday morning in the Mount Baldy area, which is more than 40 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

Mr. Sands, who had a wife and three children, was reported missing in January after he went hiking alone on a trail on Baldy Mountain. On hiking websites, the popular trek is described as challenging and strenuous.

Search crews had been combing the area for Mr Sands for months although their efforts were complicated by hazardous conditions, including heavy rain and snow, some of which lasted into June.

In an update on the search June 17, the sheriff’s office said parts of the mountain remain inaccessible due to “extreme alpine conditions,” including steep terrain and valleys covered in more than 10 feet of ice and snow.

More than 80 volunteers, deputies and search and rescue personnel participated in the search that day. The police department said two helicopters and drone crews were used to check out areas inaccessible to researchers on the ground.

Authorities said the Sheriff’s Department has conducted eight searches for Mr. Sands since January, with volunteers searching for more than 500 hours. Meanwhile, eight other unrelated search and rescue operations were conducted in the area.

Mr. Sands has often spoken of his fondness for nature 2020 interview with The Guardian He was happiest when he approached the top of a mountain on a cold morning.

In another interview in the same year With Thrive Globala health and wellness company started by Arianna Huffington, he said he spent time in the mountain ranges of North America and Europe.

People who haven’t climbed mountains, Mr. Sands said, assumed it was a matter of vanity and the “great heroic enemy” of the summit.

“But in reality, the opposite is true,” he said. “It’s about prayer, sacrifice, and humility when you go to these mountains. It’s not just a celebration of oneself, it’s the elimination of one’s self-consciousness. And so you lose yourself in these walks, and you become a vessel of energy in harmony and, hopefully, aligned with your environment.”

Lauren McCarthy Contribute to the preparation of reports.