John Jefferson
A 20-year-old American student from North Carolina has been found dead after vanishing during a hike on Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, officials say.
The body of Brook Cheuvront – a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – was recovered on Sunday. Cheuvront was reported missing on Saturday after a tracking app she was using stopped updating and friends could not reach her, SANParks spokesman JP Louw told The Associated Press.
“She was recovered, we are devastated. God help me and us,” Steve Cheuvront, identified by WCNC as her father, wrote in a Facebook post.
The cause of Cheuvront’s death is unclear. The sophomore was interning at University of Cape Town, and in addition to being a Morehead-Cain scholar was the 2022 valedictorian at Avery County High School, where her mother teaches, according to WNCN.
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“One of our teachers tragically lost a loved one today,” the high school’s principal, Jennifer O’Briant, wrote on Facebook. “We will have counselors and pastors present tomorrow at school for students who may need support. If students feel led to, please wear blue in support of the Cheuvront family.”
An initial search was conducted by rangers, wilderness search and rescue members, and trail runners until late Saturday evening when it was no longer practical to continue, Louw told The Associated Press.
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An aircraft joined the search the next day and helped to locate the body.
South African authorities have urged people to avoid hiking on their own, suggesting it be done in groups of at least four people.
The management of SANParks, which manages Table Mountain and other national parks, said an investigation into Cheuvront’s death is ongoing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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