Tributes paid to two young men who died on Eryri mountains hike

Eddie Hill, 20, and Jayden Long, 19, found dead on Yr Wyddfa in north Wales after a huge search operation

Tributes have been paid to two young men who died on a hiking expedition on Yr Wyddfa, also known as Snowdon, in north Wales.

Eddie Hill, 20, and Jayden Long, 19, both from Norfolk, were found dead in Eryri national park on Thursday after a huge search operation in severe winter conditions.

The pair were reported missing on Wednesday after they lost contact with family and friends during their trip. Three mountain rescue teams, search dogs and a coastguard helicopter combed the mountain that day and into the nigh. They discovered two bodies thenext day.

Family members and friends described Hill and Long on social media as caring and “pure individuals”.

Long’s sister, Josie, described him as an “amazing, kind and caring big brother”. She said he was “doing something he loved and was taken from us too soon”.

“Words cannot describe how loved he was by everyone and how much he loved us all too,” she wrote. “He was the most amazing boy inside and out.”

His grandmother, Bernadette Smith, wrote: “Jayden is our beautiful loving grandson. He will be greatly missed by his extended family and amazing friends. We are all broken-hearted.”

Harry Hill described his elder brother, Eddie, as a “beloved son” and “the most amazing brother”.

“Words cannot describe the pain that me and my family and friends are going through at the moment,” he wrote. “He was taken from us far too soon and he had such big plans for his future. He is the most beautiful boy inside and out and he will be missed dearly.”

A friend of the two wrote: “Ed and Jay. Where do I start boys, you were both the most amazing and beautiful people in my life, you were and always will be my best friends and I feel privileged to have spent so much of my life with you two.”

North Wales police said: “Concerns for the welfare of the men were reported to police on Wednesday. Tragically, the bodies of the two men were located and recovered as part of coordinated search efforts.

“Both have now been formally identified and their families have been informed. The coroner has been notified.”

Llanberis mountain rescue team, Aberglaslyn mountain rescue team, RAF mountain rescuers, search dogs and a coastguard helicopter were involved in the operation.

The chair of Llanberis mountain rescue team, Jurgen Dissmann, said volunteers had worked “long hours through the night in difficult weather in an effort to locate the pair as quickly as possible”.

“Despite the determined and sustained commitment of everyone involved, we are deeply saddened that, despite all efforts, the outcome was not what we had hoped for,” he said.

The Llanberis community council clerk, Heather Jones, passed her condolences to the families of the two men and paid tribute to the search teams’ dedication.

“We are thankful for their services as we know that it is also very traumatic for them,” she said. She advised people going into the mountains to take extra care.