Search for Julian Sands resumes, months after his disappearance while hiking

Five months after actor Julian Sands went missing during a California hike, the San Bernardino county sheriff's department is resuming the search.

The sheriff's department released a statement Saturday with an update on the search for Sands, who disappeared in January while hiking in the Mt. Baldy area of the San Bernardino mountains. Sands, known for his roles in films like The Killing Fields and A Room with a View, is an experienced hiker and mountaineer but was reported missing Jan. 13 after he did not return from a hiking expedition.

"On Saturday, June 17, 2023, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department continued ongoing search efforts in the Mount Baldy wilderness for missing hiker Julian Sands," the sheriff's department said in a statement. "Unfortunately, Mr. Sands was not located."

More than 80 search and rescue volunteers, deputies, and staff joined the search Saturday, supported by two helicopters and drone crews. The helicopters and drones were used to conduct aerial searches of inaccessible and remote areas of Mt. Baldy, and the department later shared videos of the effort on social media.

Still, despite rising summer temperatures, the sheriff's department reports that much of Mt. Baldy remains inaccessible due to "extreme alpine conditions" — including some areas that still contain more than 10 feet of ice and snow.

Since Sands' disappearance in January, the sheriff's department has conducted eight searches by ground and air, with volunteers also searching for more than 500 hours. The department also added: "Mr. Sands' missing person case remains active and search efforts will continue in a limited capacity."

In February, Sands' longtime friend and costar John Malkovich spoke out about his disappearance, calling Sands his "closest friend" and "a very experienced climber who'd been through very hair experiences."

"I suppose the particular conditions on the ground that day on Mt. Baldy must have led to some sort of catastrophic and immediate error that was irreversible," Malkovich told The Guardian. "That was my instinct upon hearing it. But he knew what the conditions were, and that's what he loved to do. He found great solace in the solitude of that."

Related content:

• Room With a View actor Julian Sands identified as missing hiker in ongoing search
• Authorities searching for Julian Sands hope to bring 'closure' to missing actor's family
• John Malkovich on 'closest friend' Julian Sands' disappearance: 'It's a great loss'