A backpacker who went missing in the Italian Alps last week has been found dead.
It is understood that 23-year-old Keaton Emery had set off to hike through the mountains near Lake Como, where he was doing volunteer work at a sailing school, on Thursday, September 7.
The alarm was raised when he did not return, and according to local press reports his body was recovered from a crag at the bottom of a 60ft drop close to the summit of the 1,700 metre high Legnoncino mountain by search and rescue teams on Sunday.
Mr Emery was from Macclesfield, and according to his Facebook page he attended Cheadle Hulme School in Stockport before going on to study politics and economics at the University of Nottingham.
He also worked at Vanilla in All Seasons caterers, based in Congleton, Cheshire.
They posted on Facebook on Monday: “We have had some awful news at Vanilla in Allseasons. Many of you will know our amazing friend and colleague Keaton Emery who embarked on what was to be a journey of a lifetime earlier this year. We were all sad to see him go, but happy for him as he was following a dream - bittersweet.
"Well - I never thought I would ever be posting this - but it is with the heaviest of hearts to have heard in the last 24 hours that Keaton is no longer with us. He has died doing what he really loved - but by far way too soon and we will all miss him dearly.
“You just couldn’t not like Keaton!! Today our team are feeling hollow inside. Everyone who worked with him has their own fond memories, Vanilla in Allseasons - the whole team - would like to express our sympathy to Keaton’s Mum and Dad. We were all privileged to have known him, xxx.”
He lists hiking and navigating among his interests, as well as camping, sailing, kayaking and rock climbing.
It’s believed he was working at the Fuori de Vela sailing school, in Dorio, northern Italy, when he went missing.
A spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We are in touch with Italian authorities following the death of a British national in Colico and are providing assistance to his family.”
