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Grim end in search for hiker missing on remote Australian trail

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The body of a missing Victorian man who had been hiking alone on the Northern Territory’s Larapinta Trail has been found after an extensive search.

Alistair Thomson, 64, was last heard from on May 21 when he sent a text saying he was planning to go to Hugh Gorge the following day, NT Police said.

Thomson had begun hiking alone on the 223km trail, west of Alice Springs, on May 13.

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When he failed to check back into his hotel just over a week later, a multi-agency emergency response was coordinated to find him.

The search, spanning almost two weeks, ended on Sunday when he was found dead.

The circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear.

“For the privacy of the family, no further information will be provided,” police said.

Thomson was reportedly an experienced hiker and authorities believe he left with “adequate” food and water.

The Larapinta Trail runs along the West MacDonnell Ranges in Central Australia, with its eastern end at Alice Springs.

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