The Nova Scotia Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have identified Denise Ann Williams, a 62-year-old Australian woman who disappeared while hiking in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Williams, from Victoria, Australia, was reported missing on April 28 after her rental vehicle, a Nissan Sentra, was found at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre parking lot in Chéticamp. She is described as five feet four inches tall with greyish blonde shoulder-length hair and was believed to be wearing a dark winter jacket, a powder blue tuque with “Antarctica” written on it, an orange and blue scarf, and glasses.
The search for Williams is taking place in challenging terrain, with the Acadian trail she was believed to have hiked being an 8.4-kilometre loop of “moderate” difficulty. Chris Bellmore, president of Chéticamp Search and Rescue, highlighted the rugged landscape of Nova Scotia, with mountainous terrain, waterways, and lingering snow posing challenges to search efforts. Various agencies, including Department of Natural Resources helicopters, the RCMP police dog service, multiple ground search and rescue teams, and Parks Canada, are involved in the search operation.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia is providing consular assistance to Williams’s family. Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts or who may have seen her in or around the Cape Breton Highlands National Park is urged to contact the Inverness County District RCMP at 902-258-2213. Anonymous tips can be shared with Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).