Belgian hiker, 28, missing near Haba Snow Mountain, Yunnan for one month. Phone signals at 3 locations (3,757m–4,300m) but no entry proof. Family hopes snow will reveal him.
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Source: OT-Team(G), 红星新闻
It has been one month since 28-year-old Belgian hiker Hugo Huyghebaert went missing near Haba Snow Mountain in Shangri-La, Yunnan Province. Despite extensive search efforts, he has not been found.
The case drew renewed attention following the death of a Chinese rescue team leader who succumbed to acute altitude sickness during the operation.
Hugo’s elder brother and uncle arrived in Haba Village two weeks ago. The mountain remains closed, and no one is permitted to enter. “For now, we can only wait for the snow to melt,” his brother said. “The mountain will give him back to us.” Hugo’s family expressed deep regret over the death of the rescue team leader, calling the loss heartbreaking. His brother and uncle will leave China soon, but his father and another brother are expected to arrive to continue the wait.
Last known movements: A guesthouse, a canceled ride, and a plate of meat
He, the operator of a guesthouse in Haba Village, remembers Hugo well. “Such a nice young man – calm, gentle. I never imagined this would happen,” she said, her eyes welling up.
Hugo first appeared at her guesthouse on the evening of March 23. The next morning, she spotted a tent on an empty lot by the roadside. At midday, Hugo returned for noodles and left his power bank to charge. On the evening of March 25, he arrived soaking wet and stayed overnight.
He asked He to help arrange a ride back to Lijiang the next day, but March 26 was a local festival, and no driver was available. He mentioned wanting to hike in the mountains but said he was told the area was closed. If no ride appeared, he said he might try Tiger Leaping Gorge.
That night, unlike his previous visits when he only ate plain noodles, Hugo ordered a large plate of meat and finished it all. The next morning around 11 a.m., he checked out – but left his tent and a pair of socks at the guesthouse. Surveillance footage shows him walking downhill along the road, not toward the mountain. He never returned.
He later learned from police that Hugo had gone missing. Around April 2, officers came to review her surveillance footage, but the hotel’s storage only retains seven days of recordings. “If only they had come earlier,” she said.
Hugo’s brother and uncle have been staying at her guesthouse since April 13. “They are very friendly, always nodding and greeting people,” she said. They told her they would leave soon, but other family members would continue the wait – and have already reserved rooms.
Phone signals on the mountain – but no visual confirmation of entry
Authorities have conducted multiple searches using drones and thermal imaging. Cell tower data shows Hugo’s phone signal appeared at three locations on the mountain: Lanhuaping at 3,757 meters, Heihai at 4,200 meters, and an abandoned second camp at around 4,300 meters.
Police search teams conducted at least two full searches of these areas, reaching as high as 4,900 meters – with no results. From April 17 to 18, a mountain guide hired by Hugo’s family searched for two days and found nothing. On April 19, over 40 Blue Sky Rescue members arrived. A ten-person team searched from Haba Village at 2,700 meters up to 4,300 meters – no trace. During the operation, a rescue team leader collapsed and later died from altitude sickness.
Yet there is no visual confirmation that Hugo ever entered the closed mountain area.
Haba Snow Mountain has been off-limits to hikers and climbers since October 21. Checkpoints are set up on the western slope and at Yi Village. On March 24 at 3:22 p.m., Hugo appeared at the Yi Village No. 1 checkpoint at 3,100 meters. Using a translation app, he told staff he wanted to hike. They told him the mountain was closed. Seven minutes later, he was stopped again at a second checkpoint and turned away. After that, no official surveillance camera captured him again.
A dangerous, deceptive mountain – and the possibility he never entered
Local rescue experts describe Haba Snow Mountain as highly treacherous. Even when conditions are calm at the base, snow falls at higher elevations. Strong winds blow snow from exposed ridges into lower areas, creating soft snow layers up to two meters deep that can conceal tracks or clues.
Two large caves exist at 4,500 and 4,900 meters – both effectively bottomless, with openings hidden beneath soft snow. The mountain also features crevices, cliffs, and slippery zones.
“Apart from the cell tower signals and the two checkpoint stops, we have no video or witness evidence that Hugo actually entered the closed mountain area,” said one veteran rescue professional. “All searches have been blind.”
He also noted that Haba Mountain contains various metal elements that can interfere with signals, causing positional inaccuracies. “There have been multiple cases where signal locations were wrong,” he said. “We cannot be certain that Hugo even entered the mountain area.”
Search continues – but on a limited basis
Although family-hired mountain guides have not been granted permission to enter recently, patrol staff from the Haba Snow Mountain Company continue to search the areas they are allowed to access. The company has also distributed a recent photo of Hugo to patrol teams and construction workers at scenic area renovation sites, asking them to remain alert for anyone matching his description.
For now, Hugo’s family waits at the foot of the mountain – hoping that when the snow finally melts, it will give him back.
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