Fears for the life of missing Julian Sands grew last night after the actor’s car was found abandoned in the snow of a deadly Californian mountain range.
The Brit, star of several Oscar-nominated films including A Room With a View, has been missing for almost a week after going hiking.
Search and rescue crews looked for Sands in the area of the San Gabriel Mountains, about 40 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, but have been forced to suspend the operation because of trail conditions and avalanche risks.
They are searching for the West Yorkshire-born actor as weather allows with helicopters and drones and will resume the ground search when it’s safe, authorities said.
It is understood that Sands’ son Henry has joined the search, retracing the route his father took with the assistance of an experienced climber.
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A series of storms have created dangerous mountain conditions plaguing California in the past week.
Already two other hikers have recently died in the area.
Today, footage showed the scene in Mount Baldy as Sands' silver Volvo estate was towed away.
The 65-year-old is thought to have been along the popular Baldy Bowl Trail in the San Gabriel Mountains.
The actor spoke previously of his love of hiking, saying he was at his “happiest” when he is “close to a mountain summit on a glorious cold morning”.
Friends of Sands, who now lives in North Hollywood, said they hope he is found to be "OK" after the "awful news" he was confirmed to be missing.
All Creatures Great and Small actor Samuel West wrote on Twitter: "Please, please let Julian Sands be okay. A friend and an inspiration. Awful news."
Film producer Cassian Elwes also wrote on Twitter: "I've known since Friday that my friend Julian Sands has been missing on Mt baldy. I'm devastated.
"A very close family friend who was an adventurer in everything he did. I've said many prayers."
In reply to this post, actors Rufus Sewell, Barbara Crampton, Frances Fisher and Elizabeth Perkins also shared their hope that Sands is OK.
Sewell, known for The Man In The High Castle, wrote: "God, I really hope he's ok."
Sands is known for his breakout role, the period drama A Room With A View, in which he starred opposite Helena Bonham Carter, Sir Daniel Day-Lewis, Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith.
He has also starred in Leaving Las Vegas and Warlock, as well as TV appearances on 24, Smallville and Banshee.
A spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said in a statement: "On Friday January 13, at about 7.30pm, a hiker, identified as 65-year-old Julian Sands of North Hollywood was reported missing in the Baldy Bowl area.
"Sheriff's department search and rescue crews responded and began a search. Because of avalanche risks and trail conditions, the ground crews were pulled off the mountain on Saturday evening.
"However, we continue to search by helicopter and drones when the weather permits."
The spokesperson added that additional ground searches would be scheduled when the weather improves and conditions were safer for rescue crews.
Previously, the department urged hikers to "think twice and heed warnings" following treacherous weather in the region.
The force said its search and rescue teams had responded to 14 calls on Mount Baldy and in the surrounding area over the last four weeks.
Sands, who most recently played the chief medical officer in the 2021 Jack Lowden and Peter Capaldi-led drama Benediction, was born in Yorkshire.
He has lived in Los Angeles since 2020.
From 1984 to 1987 he was married to future Evening Standard and Today editor, Sarah Sands, with whom he shares a son, while he also has two daughters with journalist Evgenia Citkowitz, whom he married in 1990.
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