FAMILY END SEARCH FOR CANADIAN MISSING IN AUSTRALIA

The desperate search for an Ontario man missing in the Australian wilderness has been called off by his family, according to Australian media reports. Prabhdeep Srawn, a 25-year-old military reservist from Hamilton, was last seen May 13 as he went hiking to Mount Kosciuszko in the New South Wales region.

The official search was called off at the end of May just ahead of the snow season, but the family persisted, offering a $100,000 reward to anyone who "rescues or recovers him." 

Volunteers, including ten members of the Canadian Armed Forces combed the region, but found no trace of Srawn.

Srawn's military experience included cold weather training in northern Ontario, giving his family hope that he had the skills to survive while lost in the mountainous region.

In June, family member Tej Sahota said they had not given up hope.

"We maintain some evidence has to turn up. He just can't disappear into thin air," he said.

• "There has to be some evidence of him on that mountain. Our conviction tells us that he's going to be alive, but we're looking for some sort of evidence ... until we get that evidence, we're not going to quit on this." 

Source: CBC