The sister of a young bushwalker has issued an emotional plea for help to find her brother, who went missing while hiking in NSW’s Kosciuszko National Park last week.
Melbourne student Hadi Nazari was last seen by friends about 2.30pm last Thursday hiking down from the Hannels Spur Trail between Khancoban and Thredbo.
It’s understood the Berwick student split off from his two friends when he stopped to take photos on the trail and told them he would meet them back at the Geehi campsite.
When he failed to arrive, his friends went looking for him before alerting NSW Police of his disappearance that evening.
Specialist police and the SES are on their fourth day of searching dense bushland for Nazari, who is due to celebrate his 23rd birthday tomorrow.
The search has so far spanned land and air, with assistance from SES, Goulburn Police Rescue, National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW Ambulance, VRA Rescue NSW and Polair.
The three friends set off on the hike on December 22 and planned to arrive home on Boxing Day.
Nazari had no phone coverage but used his friend’s device to text his sister around 7pm on Christmas Day to write: “I’ll be home tomorrow.”
The bachelor of science student is understood to be an experienced bushwalker and was carrying a tent, sleeping bag and phone, which does not have reception.
But his family fears he may have suffered a panic attack and won’t know how to handle the Australian wildlife.
“It’s a remote area …there might be other insects or could be animals as well, which is a threat to him,” sister Zahra Nazari said.
Nazari’s extended family has travelled to NSW, but they want interstate agencies to assist too.
Ms Nazari described the disappearance of her brother, who has aspirations to become a neurosurgeon, as “the biggest trauma of my life”.
“I pray to God he comes back, he comes back soon,” she said.
“I’m sure if he survives, he’s gonna, he’s gonna do a lot … he’s very intelligent.
“We just want them to find him for us safely, that’s it.”
