Julian Sands – live: US federal agencies join search for British actor ...

21 Jan 2023
Actor Julian Sands missing

Julian Sands: Who is the Hollywood British actor missing in California?

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US federal and state agencies have joined the search operation for British actor Julian Sands who remains missing for eight days now.

The search has been ramped up as the officials are using mobile phone forensics to help pinpoint the location of the actor.

Sands, 65, was reported missing on 13 January in the southern Californian mountains. He was thought to have been somewhere on the popular Baldy Bowl Trail, which climbs 3,900 feet over 4.5 miles to the highest summit in the San Gabriel Mountains.

Police revealed on Friday that Sands, best known for films such as A Room With a View and Arachnophobia, appeared to be on the move two days later.

Data from his mobile phone showed Sands was “heading to the Mount Baldy area”. Pings attempted since then have failed, police said, likely due to the actor’s phone running out of battery.

It comes after The Independent revealed images sent from Sands to his grandson Billy in September, which show the father-of-three mountaineering.

The Independent understands that Sands’ son Henry joined the search, retracing the route his father took, with the assistance of an experienced climber.

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Julian Sands: Who is the British Hollywood actor missing in California?

Julian Sands: Who is the Hollywood British actor missing in California?

Emily Atkinson21 January 2023 09:30

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Police track phone data during search for missing actor Julian Sands in California mountains

Federal and state agencies in the US have joined the search for Julian Sands, using mobile phone forensics to help pinpoint the location of the British actor.

Both national and state officials are now working with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office, one week on after the actor was first reported missing in the southern Californian mountains.

As of Friday, ground crews were still unable to continue their search efforts, due to evidence of avalanches in the area, and authorities said there was still “no time set” for when they would begin.

Mike Bedigan reports:

Emily Atkinson21 January 2023 09:00

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Actor was ‘on move’ day he was reported missing, police reveal

The phone belonging to missing actor Julian Sands appears to show he was on the move heading into a mountainous area in southern California on the day he was reported missing.

The search has been ramped up of late as officials use mobile phone forensics to help pinpoint the location of the actor.

Sands, 65, was reported missing during a hiking trip in the Baldy Bowl area of the San Gabriel mountains on Friday, as searches by local authorities continue by “helicopter and drones when weather permits”.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department previously said that phone pings showed the British actor to be heading to the Mount Baldy area two days after he was first reported missing.

Emily Atkinson21 January 2023 08:30

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The climate crisis may be a factor in Sands’ disappearance.

Extreme winter weather is becoming more common in the Golden State, Josh Marcus reports.

Read more:

Emily Atkinson21 January 2023 07:50

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Mount Baldy is considered one of the most dangerous peaks in the US to climb

In recent years, several experienced hikers have died due to Mount Baldy’s icy terrain. It’s considered one of the most dangerous peaks to climb in the US.

Tom Murray21 January 2023 07:20

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Picture exclusive given to The Independent

A reminder that the last known photos of Sands mountaineering were shared exclusively with The Independent. You can see them here:

Tom Murray21 January 2023 06:23

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Sands described as ‘a Byronesque romantic and an adventurer’ by friend

In a statement shared exclusively with The Independent, a friend of Sands described him as “a Byronesque romantic and an adventurer who is drawn to the extremes of nature”.

“Julian is wild and never contained by rules or boundaries,” they said.

“He is deeply inspired by the Romantic poets and his performances of their work are spellbinding and come from a passionate love of literature.

“He is a friend bound by Homeric qualities of loyalty and living life to the full.

“He takes no prisoners and yet is as gentle and generous and sensitive as the poets he so admired.”

Tom Murray21 January 2023 05:27

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Who are Sands’ children?

Sands’ three adult children have joined rescue teams in search of their father. Henry, 37, Sands’ eldest son – with whom he shares with his first wife Sarah Sands – is retracing the route his father took, with the assistance of an experienced climber.

The actor’s two daughters Natalya, 26, and Imogen, 23, with whom he shares with his wife Eugenia Citkowitz, have joined the ground search.

Tom Murray21 January 2023 04:25

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Operations to find actor Julian Sands step up as federal agencies join search

Federal and state agencies in the US have joined the search for Julian Sands, using mobile phone forensics to help pinpoint the location of the British actor.

Both national and state officials are now working with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office, one week on after the actor was first reported missing in the southern Californian mountains.

As of Friday, ground crews were still unable to continue their search efforts, due to evidence of avalanches in the area, and authorities said there was still “no time set” for when they would begin.

The involvement of federal and state agencies marks a step up in the search for Sands – which is to continue via helicopter only for now.

Shweta Sharma21 January 2023 03:58

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A look at Sands’ career and life

Read more about the actor himself here:

Tom Murray21 January 2023 03:27

Read more
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