Remains found in California mountains where actor Julian Sands went missing

Hikers have found human remains in Southern California's Mount Baldy wilderness, the mountainous area where British-born film actor Julian Sands went missing in January, local authorities said.

The hikers contacted Fontana Station officials at about 10:00 am on Saturday to report the discovery of the body, which was taken to the coroner's office for identification, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

Sands was reported missing on January 13 after he had gone hiking alone in the Baldy Bowl area of the San Gabriel Mountains, about 80 km northeast of Los Angeles.

A search was immediately launched in the area, but ground teams were pulled out a day later due to avalanche risks and poor trail conditions.

The Baldy Bowl, a large sloping area below the crest of the Mount Baldy ski area, is a popular destination for skiers, climbers and backpackers. Sands was believed to be an experienced hiker, officials said at the time of his disappearance.

Born in England, Sands moved to California in the 1980s to pursue a Hollywood career after the success of the 1985 film A Room with a View, a period romance in which he was cast as the leading man opposite Helena Bonham Carter.

He also starred as the son of Satan in the 1989 supernatural thriller Warlock and its sequel Warlock: The Armageddon. Other film credits include supporting roles in The Killing Fields, Arachnophobia and Leaving Las Vegas.