Russian police are searching for an American student who went missing in freezing conditions in a mountainous part of Siberia three days ago.
Investigators in the Russian republic of Buryatia said on March 30 that Colin Madsen, 25, disappeared early on March 27, a day after he arrived with another American as part of a group from Irkutsk, where he was a student at Moscow State Linguistic University.
Madsen, who is fluent in Russian, vanished from a guest house in the resort village of Arshan at the foot of the Sayan Mountains, known for its mineral springs and views.
Madsen and the rest of his group had planned to hike in the mountains. "While the others were sleeping, he left the house and disappeared without a trace," Russia's regional Investigative Committee said.
Madsen's aunt told AP that he was a "responsible young man," but he uncharacteristically left for a walk without a coat. Since he left, the weather has turned very cold, with snow and a strong wind.