Major update as desperate search continues for young hiker missing in Mount Kosciuszko National Park

Rescue workers have found walking sticks and rubbish during the search for a university student who went missing over a week ago.

Hadi Nazari, 23, separated from friends to take photos along the Hannels Spur Trail between Khancoban and Thredbo, in Mount Kosciuszko National Park in the NSW Snowy Mountains, about 2.30pm on Boxing Day.

The Melbourne student was last seen descending the challenging 22km hiking trail, telling his friends he would meet them at the Geehi campsite.

When Nazari did not arrive, his friends searched for him before alerting authorities.

Police, SES, NSW Ambulance, VRA Rescue, Polair and the NSW Parks and Wildlife Service searched for Mr Nazari for seven days.

Rescuers from specialist police units and SES crews searched the dense bushland on the ground and in the air.

The walking sticks and pieces of rubbish were recovered on Tuesday evening, but Mr Nazari has not yet been found.

Mr Nazari, an experienced bushwalker who turned 23 on Tuesday, carried a tent, sleeping bag and phone.

Zahra (pictured) broke down as she made a moving plea to authorities to help find her brother, as she clung to the hope he would be found safe

He was not carrying a personal tracking beacon, but was believed to have a reasonable amount of water, police told reporters.

The search also used a helicopter with infrared imaging technology and specialist crews were flown into the rugged terrain.

Mr Nazari’s sister, Zahra, collapsed as she begged authorities to continue the search, clinging to the hope that he would be found alive.

Mrs. Nazari fears her brother is overwhelmed by his environment.

“It’s a remote area… there could be other insects here or animals too, which poses a threat to him,” Ms Nazari said. 9News on Monday.

‘It is the greatest trauma of my life, that I have not seen him for so many days, that I have not been able to talk to him for so many days. I look at his pictures all the time and pray to God that he comes back, that he comes back soon.”

Mr Nazari and his friends had left Melbourne on December 22 and planned to return home on Boxing Day; the day he went missing.

On Christmas Day, Mr. Nazari texted his sister on a friend’s phone to say, “I’ll be home tomorrow.”

Ms. Nazari said her brother dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon.

“I’m sure if he survives he’ll do a lot… he’s very intelligent,” she said.

“We just want them to find him safe for us, that’s all.”

Mrs Naziri told the ABC her brother is an avid photographer, which caused him to split from the group.

“He said, ‘I’m going to stay behind and take some pictures,’” she said.

“So his friends came down and had their breakfast and stuff, and when they went back he didn’t come until two o’clock.”

Mr Nazari, (pictured), an experienced bushwalker who turned 23 on Tuesday, carried a tent, sleeping bag and a phone

“We want more people to come, it’s a very vast area, it’s a very densely populated area… more support from all over will speed up the process.”

She said she feared her brother would endure cold nights on the mountain, and that she had read reports of another woman who was bitten by a snake in the mountains and remained missing for 13 days.

SES Chief Inspector Matthew Price said it was to Mr Nazari’s advantage that he had some experience of bush walking.

The Hannels Spur Trail is considered one of Australia’s challenging bushwalk routes, reaching an elevation of 1,800 metres.

“It’s some of the most rugged terrain in NSW, it’s very steep, it’s very vegetated and it’s quite remote,” NSW Police Chief Inspector Jillian Gibson said.