The 32-year-old missing British backpacker who disappeared while out hiking in New Zealand has been found dead.
Stephanie Simpson, 32, was last seen by fellow hikers in Mount Aspiring National Park on the South Island on Saturday, February 8.
The alarm was raised when Miss Simpson, from Essex, failed to turn up at her landscaping job on Monday.
Police in New Zealand found her body around 1.40pm local time on Friday, February 14, near an area of the park called Fantail Falls.
Earlier in the day, her backpack and hiking boots were found and this led search teams to zero in around the area.
It had not been stated yet how exactly she died.
Sergeant Mark Kirkwood said that her family were grieving and had asked for privacy.
He added: “The search was extremely challenging at times, especially in consideration of the terrain, and the work of all involved is to be commended.”
![National Population Commission (NPC) Recruitment 2023 [Apply Now]](https://www6.illuminaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Beware-of-Fake-Census-Ad-hoc-Recruitment-Link-350x250.jpeg)
