Body found in search for woman who vanished while walking her dog

A body has been found in the search for a woman who went missing while walking her dog, police have said.

Ausra Plungiene, 56, from Prestatyn, North Wales, was last seen on Tuesday when she is believed to have left for a walk with her dog Eyora at about 10.30am but failed to return home.

A search across Eryri national park (Snowdonia) was co-ordinated after the alarm was raised shortly before 10pm on Tuesday and her car was found in a remote car park in the Rowen area in the early hours of Wednesday, North Wales Police said.

On Thursday, mountain rescue team members found a woman’s body near Yr Aryg in the Carneddau mountain range, a force spokesman said.

A dog was found alive at the location and Ms Plungiene’s family has been informed, although formal identification has yet to take place, police said.

Superintendent Owain Llewelyn said: “I would like to offer my thanks to all involved in the search for Ausra, in what have been extremely difficult weather conditions.

“Finally, I would appeal for Ausra’s family to be afforded some privacy during the coming days.”

Search teams worked through snow and gale force winds in the search for Ms Plungiene.