Search for missing Australian hiker in Cape Breton Highlands suspended

Missing hiker Denise Ann Williams is pictured. (Nova Scotia RCMP)

The almost week-long search for a missing Australian hiker in Cape Breton has been suspended.

Denise Ann Williams, 62, was last heard from on April 15 when she indicated she was travelling to Cheticamp.

Williams was reported missing around 9:30 a.m. last Tuesday and her rented Nissan Sentra was found at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre near the Acadian Trailhead.

The RCMP launched a search that same day.

Multiple agencies were involved, including the Department of Natural Resources Air Services, Ground Search and Rescue and Parks Canada.

The search for Williams continued through Sunday.

Police say no further search activity is planned.

“The decision to suspend the search followed six days of exhaustive air and ground efforts over extremely challenging terrain, during which no new information emerged to direct additional search activity,” the RCMP said in an email to CTV Atlantic.

Police add there is no reason to believe Williams is not in the park.

She is described as being five-foot-four with greyish blonde and shoulder-length hair.

It is believed she was wearing a dark winter jacket, a powder blue toque with “Antarctica” written on it, an orange and blue scarf and glasses.

Anyone who may have seen Williams in or around the Cape Breton Highlands National Park is asked to call Inverness County District RCMP at 902-258-2213 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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