Texas hiker found dead at Abrams Falls in Great Smoky Mountains after going missing

Right · 2Sahil Jilani, a 24-year-old Houston, Texas resident, was found dead three days after he went missing in Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains. 1 2 Right · 2His family said they grew worried when he went hours without checking in and his location sharing stopped in an area without cell service. 1 2 Right · 1Jilani's sister, Asma Jilani Bustamante, who organised a fundraiser, wrote that the family was advised to be patient because hikers and campers often lose contact in areas without coverage. 2

Right · 2His car was found in the Abrams Falls parking lot, and his phone, keys and clothes were found near the waterfall. 1 2 Right · 2His body was found the next day. Fox News reports that dive teams pulled it from the water at Abrams Falls, and the New York Post says it was found in the waterfall, which it puts at 20 to 25 feet deep. 2 1 Right · 2The cause of death has not been officially disclosed. The family believes he drowned after being caught in powerful hydraulic currents, and said the falls drop about 25 feet into a deep pool where such currents can trap a person even if they are an experienced swimmer. 1 2

Right · 2The family said Jilani's mother was hospitalised after learning of his death. They described him as a "pure, kind, generous soul" who had recently become an uncle. 1 2 Right · 2National Park Service guidance says the park has no lifeguarded swimming areas and does not recommend swimming or tubing. It warns against climbing to the top of waterfalls because of slippery algae, and says cell service is extremely limited, so hikers should carry an alternative communication device. 2 1 Right · 2The New York Post, citing the National Park Service, says ten people died in the park last year. Fox News said it had asked the Park Service for comment. 1 2