Missing Magician Vanished Over a Week Ago, Army Joins Search
Authorities in Australia are searching for a missing magician last seen nearly 10 days ago as distraught relatives grow increasingly concerned about his unexplained disappearance.
Daniel Hidden, 26, was last seen leaving a residence on Chelsea Avenue in Broadbeach while driving his silver Hyundai Santa Fe at about 3 a.m. on June 14. The vehicle was discovered two days later at a parking lot at a popular hiking area in Currumbin Valley, Queensland police said.
“Police and Daniel’s family hold serious concerns for his welfare as his disappearance is out of character,” police said in a statement last week.
Authorities in Australia are searching for Daniel Hidden, a 26-year-old magician, last seen in Broadbeach on June 14.
(Instagram)
Hidden, a magician with nearly 7,000 followers on Instagram, is 5 feet 11 inches tall, with an average build and olive complexion. He was last seen wearing a maroon shirt and black cargo pants, authorities said.
The Australian Defence Force has joined the search for Hidden, which included roughly 100 volunteers on Saturday, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.
“ADF members will be on-site [Tuesday] to continue the search,” Gold Coast Acting Chief Superintendent Brett Jackson told the outlet. “Because of the terrain and the large area that needs to be traversed, we have been utilizing aerial assets including [police aviation units] and drones. Our search is planned to go through until Wednesday, at which time we’ll reassess.”
Daniel Hidden, a 26-year-old magician in Australia, was last seen leaving a residence in Broadbeach on June 14, authorities said.
Hidden’s relatives took part in Saturday’s search efforts, Jackson said.
“They’re very distraught and our thoughts are with them and we’re doing everything we can to try and locate Mr. Hidden,” Jackson said, adding there’s a “high likelihood” of survival due to available water in the rugged region.
The circumstances surrounding Hidden’s disappearance remain unclear, but investigators don’t suspect foul play. Officials from Queensland Fire and Rescue are also involved in the ongoing search efforts, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.
Daniel Hidden, 26, was last seen in Broadbeach, Australia, on June 14. Relatives have participated in ongoing search efforts for the missing magician. (Queensland Police)
Hidden’s brother, Ilya Jamshidi, said relatives initially believed he embarked on a solo trip.
“He does do getaways, camping frequently, but never no contact,” Jamshidi told 7NEWS. “He hasn’t taken his phone with him, which is a bit unusual. A week without contact or shelter, that’s pretty unusual to us.”
Jamshidi said the hiking area in Queensland near Gorge Falls and Cougal Cascades, where Hidden’s car was found, holds special significance for his brother.
“He’s taken me to this place as well,” he told 7NEWS. “This is one of his favorites. He’s got the coordinates of a spot in this place tattooed on his fingers, so it means a lot to him.”
Jamshidi said Hidden, whose website claims that “transformation requires disappearance,” is an experienced hiker who intentionally takes difficult, untrodden routes.
“He doesn’t like sticking to marked tracks,” he said. “He desires the hardship in unexplored places.”
Hidden’s disappearance has devastated his parents, Jamshidi said.
“Lots of crying,” he said. “My personal life is put aside.”
Hidden’s mother, meanwhile, is convinced her son will be rescued.
“He is my son and he is very strong,” she told 7NEWS. “You don’t know how he is capable of doing anything. I believe in him, but now it’s more than eight days passed. We need to find him, he needs help. But he’s alive and people can come and help to find him before something happens.”
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gray R. Thomas
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