Searchers find body in hunt for missing Team GB athlete, 43, who had not been seen since setting off for arduous mountain run
- Chris Smith was on holiday with his family when he went missing on Tuesday
- Police say the body of a man was found near to Meall Garbh in the Glenlyon area
- Formal identification has yet to take place but Mr Smith’s family has been informed
A man’s body has been found believed to be that of missing Team GB runner Chris Smith, (pictured) 43, who was last seen on Tuesday.
A man’s body has been found believed to be that of missing Team GB runner Chris Smith, 43, who was last seen on Tuesday.
The devastating discovery was made just before noon close to Meall Garbh in the Glenlyon area of Perth and Kinross.
A spokesman for Police Scotland said: ‘Police Scotland can confirm that at around 11.50am on Thursday, October 29, the body of a man was found near to Meall Garbh in the Glenlyon area.
‘Formal identification has yet to take place however the family of missing 43-year-old Chris Smith has been informed.
‘Enquiries remain ongoing and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal in due course.’
The fell runner’s family made a desperate plea for his safe return when he failed to return home after his run two days ago.
Chris Smith, who was part of Team GB, set off on a run from Invervar near Aberfeldy, Perth and Kinross, at around 3pm on Tuesday.
The 43-year-old was aiming to tackle a route including four Munros – Meall nan Aighean, Carn Mairg, Meall Garbh and Carn Gorm – before returning at 5pm.
His wife Lindsay and two children, became concerned when he failed to return.
Emergency services were called and a search and rescue operation involving mountain rescue teams, Police Scotland and the Coastguard helicopter was launched.
Emergency services were called and a search and rescue operation involving mountain rescue teams, Police Scotland and the Coastguard helicopter was launched after missing Mr Smith’s family raised the alarm
Shortly after Mr Smith’s disappearance, his sister-in-law Elaine told the BBC the family ‘desperately want to bring Chris home’, adding: ‘We’re thinking that something has gone wrong at some point on his run.
‘I guess our hope at this moment is that maybe he’s been slightly injured and he’s sheltering somewhere, because he’s not able to walk.
‘That’s our hope at the moment, and we’ve got to remain positive, which is what we’re doing.’
Police Scotland said a formal identification has yet to take place however the family of missing 43-year-old Chris Smith has been informed
The family had been concerned Mr Smith – who is originally from Aberdeenshire but now lives in Haywards Heath, West Sussex – may have become disorientated during his run and ended up further away than he aimed to be.
Mr Smith is a member of Thames Valley Harriers and was on holiday with his wife and sons when he went missing.
He represented Great Britain in international mountain running competitions and in 2016 the runner helped Team GB win bronze in the European Mountain Running Championships in Italy.
A GoFundMe page has also been set up to support the work of Scottish Mountain Rescue in the search for Mr Smith, and more than £3,000 has been raised so far.
