The body of a Norwegian hiker who went missing in the remote Canadian wilderness earlier this month has been found.
Authorities and community volunteers had been searching the west side of the Hayes River in Manitoba for 29-year-old Steffen Skjottelvik, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.
During the search on Sunday, Aug. 24, a helicopter pilot reported seeing what appeared to be a body near the same area where Skjottelvik’s jacket was discovered days earlier.
“Gillam RCMP and Parks Canada officers, along with community searchers from Fort Severn, attended the location on foot and confirmed that the body recovered on shore was that of the missing 29-year-old Norwegian hiker,” the statement read.
An autopsy was scheduled for Monday, Aug. 25.
A police spokesperson told the Canadian Broadcasting Company that the terrain where Skjottelvik had been hiking is so treacherous that “people have said there are only a few people that can do it on this planet.”
“The fact that he made it that far is just a testament to his skills,” added Sgt. Paul Manaigre.
Skjottelvik began his trek from Fort Severn, Ontario, on July 25 with his dogs, planning to reach York Factory, Manitoba, by Aug. 15.
Police said he made contact on Aug. 13 after arriving at Nanuk Camp, where he explained that one of his dogs had gone missing. The following day, he contacted York Factory, estimating that he was about 20 kilometers away and would arrive by Aug. 15.
When he failed to arrive, authorities were alerted, and a search was launched. One of his dogs managed to reach York Factory, while the other was never found.
Authorities later said Skjottelvik “may have tried to cross the Hayes River as he neared York Factory.” The river, nearly two kilometers wide, has an “extremely fast current” that officials described as “impossible to cross in its current conditions, due to heavy rain.”
On Thursday, the RCMP told PEOPLE that Skjottelvik’s backpack was located along the riverbank, but there was no sign of him at that time.
Following the discovery of his body, Skjottelvik’s family issued a statement expressing both grief and relief.
“The process of bringing Steffen home to Holmsbu can now begin,” they said, according to the CBC. “We wish to express our deepest gratitude to everyone – both in Norway and in Canada – for the love, support, and engagement shown throughout this difficult time.”
Family spokesperson Christian Dyresen added that Skjottelvik had been “living his dream” exploring the isolated northern Manitoba wilderness, while also recognizing the risks.
“He’s been aware of the risks and family have been talking to him about risks,” Dyresen said. “And they’ve also talked with Steffen about possible outcomes of this trip, bearing in mind all the significant risk that is in the area.”
A GoFundMe campaign set up to support the search and rescue efforts has raised more than $10,000 as of Monday, Aug. 25.
