Hiker found dead after vanishing for 3 days at popular national park
According to a GoFundMe post created by his family, they believe the 24-year-old Sahil Jilani drowned after becoming caught in powerful hydraulic currents near Abrams Falls.
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THE TAKEAWAY
- A hiker was found dead in Great Smoky Mountains National Park after being missing for three days.
- Sahil Jilani was hiking near Abrams Falls.
- His family believes he drowned after becoming caught in powerful hydraulic currents.
A hiker was found dead Thursday in Great Smoky Mountains National Park after being missing for three days.
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According to a GoFundMe post created by his family, they believe 24-year-old Sahil Jilani drowned after becoming caught in powerful hydraulic currents near Abrams Falls.
The family said that they started to become concerned on Oct. 6 after going several hours without hearing from Sahil.
(Asma Jilani/GoFundMe / FOX Weather)
"It is with heavy hearts and profound sorrow that we share the sudden, heartbreaking loss of our beloved brother, Sahil Jilani, and the hospitalization of our mother after learning she had lost her precious son, our little angel and most beautiful gift," the fundraiser stated.
The family said that they started to become concerned on Oct. 6 after going several hours without hearing from him.
Sahil Jilani was found dead in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after missing for three days.
(Asma Jilani/GoFundMe / FOX Weather)
However, according to the fundraiser, park rangers initially advised the family to be patient, explaining that hikers and campers frequently lose contact in areas without cellular service.
"But as the hours passed, our fear grew, and we continued requesting help," the family said.
The National Park Service (NPS) stated that the Houston man was last seen on Oct. 5 at Riverstone Campground in Townsend, Tennessee.
On Oct. 7, search and rescue teams located Jilani’s vehicle near the Falls Trailhead. The following day, dive teams recovered his body from the water at Abrams Falls.
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According to a GoFundMe post created by his family, Sahil Jilani drowned after becoming caught in powerful hydraulic currents near Abrams Falls.
(Asma Jilani/GoFundMe)
"What many don't realize, Abrams Falls drops approximately 25 feet into a deep pool of water. The hydraulic currents can pull a person underwater and trap them in recirculating water, making escape extremely difficult, even for experienced swimmers," the family stated in the GoFundMe post.
"Being a strong swimmer does not make you immune to these dangers. What appears beautiful and peaceful can turn deadly in the blink of an eye," they continued.
An official cause of death has not yet been disclosed.