Another ground search for the missing British actor Julian Sands is being planned imminently, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s department said.
Sands went missing while hiking the popular Baldy Bowl Trail in California exactly five weeks ago.
Search and rescue crews have been looking for Sands since he disappeared, however, their attempts have repeatedly been affected by adverse weather conditions.
“A ground search for Julian Sands is being planned before the next storm hits next week,” a Sheriff’s department spokesperson told the PA news agency.
“We don’t have an exact date/time for that search but will use ground crews.
“The weather and mountain conditions continue to be an obstacle and subsequent searches will be delayed if Mr Sands is not located in the upcoming search.”
The statement comes a week after the department said they “remain hopeful, but know the outcome may not be what we would like”.
Sands’s family were said to be “grateful” for the support they had received since his disappearance, but had no further statement for the public at the time.
Just over two weeks ago, a close friend and hiking partner of Sands said it is obvious “something has gone wrong”.
“For me, each day that does go by puts more pressure and I guess brings a lot of doubt in,” fellow actor Kevin Ryan, 38, said.
“But Julian is such an advanced hiker. It’s what he did. His whole life he was climbing mountains. It was a true passion of his.
“He is beyond experienced and I’m hoping that he’s tucked away somewhere and can pull through.”
One week after the actor’s disappearance, a car believed to belong to him was found by crews.
The last ping from Sands’s cell phone occurred two days after his disappearance, suggesting that his phone died shortly after.
Sands, who turned 65 nine days before his disappearance, is best known for his breakout role in the 1985 period drama A Room With A View.
He starred in the drama opposite Helena Bonham Carter, Sir Daniel Day-Lewis, Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith.
