May 27, 2016 - 10:55 AM
VANCOUVER - The remains of a young British tourist have been found on Vancouver's North Shore, solving a two-and-a-half-year-old mystery of his disappearance.
The BC Coroner's Service confirms human remains found in Cypress Provincial Park in West Vancouver are those of avid hiker Tom Billings.
The 22-year-old man visited Vancouver as part of an eight-week tour of North America and Vancouver Police say he was last seen in the city on Nov. 25, 2013.
Billings, described by police as a seasoned traveller, was reported missing in early December 2013 after failing to return to Oxford, England.
An extensive search, paid for by the Billings family, revealed no trace of him.
The family was informed of the discovery Thursday and has issued a statement thanking North Shore Rescue, Talon Aviation, the British Consulate and the Vancouver Police Department for the efforts to find their son.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016