Body found on Victoria mountain believed to be of missing elderly hiker

A body found on a Victorian mountain might be that of a missing elderly hiker who went missing on Thursday (14 September).

Police said they found the body around 9am local time (12am BST) on Sunday in the Mount Bogong area in north-east Victoria's alpine region.

The death is not being treated as suspicious and will be referred to the coroner to certify the death, police added.

Leslie Southwell, 88, who was hiking with his friends through the area for over eight days, got separated from the group.

They were on a 4.7km trek from Cleve Cole Memorial Hut to Michelle Hut when Southwell's friends noticed he was missing.

Police and family members were concerned for Southwell because of his age and the harsh weather conditions in the alpine area.

According to the description given by Southwell's friends and family, he was about 167cm with a thin build and short grey hair and was last seen wearing a dark Gore-Tex top and bottom.

His friends said Southwell was carrying a royal blue backpack and was said to be well equipped for the environment. He was also carrying three days of food and an orange single man tent.

Earlier, on 28 August, around five German climbers lost their lives and one was left seriously injured after an accident in the Austria's Zillertal Alps.

It is believed that the climbers were roped together when one of them slipped, pulling the others with him.

Three of those who died were over 60 years old, while the one who survived is in his 70s.