The Governorate of Niğde, where Mustafa Kemal Karakoç was buried in an avalanche last year, announced Monday that a body suspected of being Karakoç was found.

The 27-year-old climber was en route to the peak of Aladağlar, a mountain range in central Turkey where Niğde is located and a popular destination for climbers, when an avalanche hit him and fellow climber Hilal İşcan on Dec. 2, 2018. İşcan escaped and was rescued by an airlift while search and rescue crews failed to locate Karakoç at the site at an altitude of 3,550 meters.

Crews combed the area in the first three days of Karakoç's disappearance but constant bad weather and heavy snow made it impossible for ground access to the site. The search was called off as authorities cited continuous avalanche risks in the area. It was resumed later and crews combed the area at five-day intervals. The governorate said an autopsy will be performed on the body for verification.