Missing hiker Sahil Jilani found deceased near Abrams Falls
The National Park Service released a timeline of the search in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The search for Sahil Jilani in Great Smoky Mountains National Park ended with his discovery near Abrams Falls on October 8, according to an October 12 National Park Service news release.
Park officials said Jilani was last seen at Riverstone Campground in Townsend, Tennessee, on October 5. His vehicle was located at the Abrams Falls trailhead on October 7. Law enforcement and search-and-rescue personnel began searching that day.
The release identifies where Jilani was found and provides those dates, but does not state a cause of death or explain the circumstances that led to his death. Those unanswered questions should not be filled in with online speculation.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park expressed condolences to his family and friends. The official timeline gives readers a basis for understanding the search while separating confirmed details from information the agency has not released.