SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — A pilot from France who disappeared while hiking California’s towering Mount Whitney was found dead after falling about 1,000 feet (305 meters) off a cliff, the National Park Service said Friday.

The hiker was identified as Tom Gerbier of Fontenay-sous-Bois, France, who was a pilot for Air France, the park service said in a statement.

The tallest mountain in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney rises 14,494 feet (4,418 meters) on the eastern border of Sequoia National Park and is a difficult but popular hike.

Gerbier started out at Whitney Portal near the town of Lone Pine early Tuesday and was reported missing when he didn’t show up for his return flight Wednesday, the park service said.

Other news Trial of a man accused of killing a New Hampshire couple on a hiking trail nears conclusion Norwegian preschoolers get early exposure to outdoor life by hiking routes around kindergartens A Texas man on a trip to spread his dad’s ashes died of heat stroke in Utah’s Arches National Park

The park service and local authorities sent ground teams to the area Thursday.

The searchers spotted clues that someone may have fallen off a cliff in an area called “The Notch,” and a helicopter crew directed there spotted a motionless person in clothing matching Gerbier’s description.

The body was recovered by helicopter that evening, and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Gerbier’s identity.

Air France said in a statement that Gerbier had been on a stopover in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

“The company offers its most sincere condolences to his family and loved ones,” the airline said.

Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.