21 Jan 2023

Julian Sands: Police resume air search for missing British actor

3:07 pm on 21 January 2023
(FILES) In this file photo taken on September 3, 2019, British actor Julian Sands poses during the photocall for the movie "The Painted Bird" of Czech director Vaclav Marhoul, presented in competition during the 76th Venice Film Festival at Venice Lido. - Sands has been missing for a week after he went hiking in a snowy mountain range in California, authorities said on January 19, 2023, adding the search had been hampered by bad weather. Sands, 65, was in the Baldy Bowl area of Mount Baldy, outside Los Angeles in southern California, when he went missing. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

Actor Julian Sands in 2019. Photo: ALBERTO PIZZOLI / AFP

Authorities in California have resumed the air search for British actor Julian Sands, who disappeared last Friday while hiking.

But the ground search for Sands remains on pause due to poor road conditions.

The British actor was last seen a week ago in the Baldy Bowl area of the San Gabriel Mountains, north of Los Angeles.

Police said they had found his car near where he was reported missing.

Phone pings appeared to show he was on the move two days after he was reported missing, police have said.

"There has been no new update or witness information about his whereabouts since then," Gloria Huerta, Public Information Officer for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department told the BBC on Friday.

He was reported missing at about 19:30 local time on Friday 13 January.

"The air search is being resumed, but we have not been able to resume a ground search yet due to icy conditions and a threat of avalanches," said Huerta.

Sands, 65, is known for his roles in popular films including Leaving Las Vegas, A Room With A View, Warlock, Ocean's 13, Arachnophobia and the TV series 24 and Smallville.

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Arachnophobia
1991
Real  Frank Marshall
Julian Sands.
Collection Christophel © Hollywood Pictures / Amblin entertainment (Photo by Hollywood Pictures / Amblin ente / Collection ChristopheL via AFP)

Julian Sands in the 1991 movie 'Arachnophobia.' Photo: HOLLYWOOD PICTURES / AMBLIN ENTE

Police had previously said that they plan to continue looking for Sands, and there is "no hard deadline" for ending their search mission.

Sands went missing after California had been battered for weeks by deadly storms, prompting an emergency declaration by US President Joe Biden.

Police said they had responded to 14 calls from Mount San Antonio, known to locals as Mount Baldy, in the last four weeks and had warned hikers to "stay away" from that area.

"It is extremely dangerous and even experienced hikers are getting in trouble," police said. They are also searching for another hiker, an American, who went missing in the same mountains.

Last week, a mother of four whom friends described as an experienced hiker, died after sliding more than 500ft down Mount Baldy.

Fellow actors have taken to social media to express their concern for Sands' well-being, and his family has assisted authorities in their search.

Sands has spoken previously about his love for hiking and mountain climbing, and said in 2020 he was happiest "close to a mountain summit on a glorious cold morning".

He has three children, and lives in the North Hollywood neighbourhood of Los Angeles with his wife, writer Evgenia Citkowitz.