A Texas hiker was found dead three days after he disappeared in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains. His family believes he drowned after being pulled into powerful hydraulic currents near a waterfall.
Sahil Jilani, a 24-year-old Houston resident, disappeared on Oct. 5—the same day his mother experienced what the family described as an “overwhelming feeling that something was terribly wrong.” His relatives announced his death through an online fundraiser.
“It is with heavy hearts and profound sorrow that we share the sudden, heartbreaking loss of our beloved brother, Sahil Jilani, and the hospitalization of our mother after learning she had lost her precious son, our little angel and most beautiful gift,” the fundraiser said.
Sahil Jilani was found dead while hiking in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, his family said. The Texas resident had been missing for several days, according to the National Park Service. (Getty Images; National Parks Service)
Family members became alarmed when Jilani failed to check in for several hours and his location-sharing signal stopped in an area without cell service.
“We were advised to be patient, as hikers and campers frequently lose contact in areas without network coverage,” Jilani’s sister, Asma Jilani Bustamante, who organized the fundraiser, wrote. “But as the hours passed, our fear grew, and we continued requesting help. Sahil knew how much his silence and unavailable location would worry us.”
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has temporarily closed several trails and backcountry areas following a surge in black bear sightings. (iStock)
After Jilani had been missing for 72 hours, authorities found his car in a parking lot. His phone, keys and clothing were later recovered near the falls. The next day, dive teams retrieved his body from the waters at Abrams Falls.
His family believes Jilani drowned after being caught in strong underwater currents.
Footbridge over the creek along the Fighting Creek Nature Trail, which begins at the Sugarland Visitors Center on the Tennessee side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, File)
“Waterfalls are breathtakingly beautiful, and many visitors naturally want to stand beneath them and feel the pressure of the falling water,” the family said. “What many don’t realize is that Abrams Falls drops approximately 25 feet into a deep pool where hydraulic currents can drag a person underwater and hold them in recirculating water, making escape extremely difficult—even for experienced swimmers.”
Authorities have not disclosed an official cause of death.
Jilani had recently become an uncle and was “beyond excited to spoil his little niece with gifts and teach her mixed martial arts and self-defense, sharing his passion for fitness,” Bustamante said.
National Park Service officials caution that the Smoky Mountains feature narrow roads, blind curves and steep drop-offs. The park also has no lifeguarded swimming areas.
“Swimming and tubing are not recommended,” the NPS said. “Additionally, never try to climb to the top of a waterfall. The rocks are coated with slippery algae, and several hikers have fallen and been seriously injured or killed.”
News Outlet has contacted the National Park Service for additional comment.
