An Indian-origin PhD student at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), has been found dead after going missing during a solo hiking trip in California's eastern Sierra Nevada, student publication Daily Nexus reported.
Vikram Mubayi, a doctoral researcher in UCSB's Department of Chemical Engineering, had travelled to the Big Pine Lakes region for a solo hike over the weekend. A search operation was launched after he failed to return as scheduled and lost contact with his family.
His body was recovered from the Big Pine Lakes area on August 3. Officials have not revealed how he entered the water, and investigators said there is no evidence of foul play at this stage. The case remains under investigation.
SEARCH LAUNCHED AFTER FAMILY LOST CONTACT
According to a Reddit post by Mubayi's sibling, he last spoke to his family around 8:30 pm on August 1 while hiking near Big Pine Lakes. During the call, he shared his GPS location before communication was lost.
After he did not return as expected, his family reported him missing to the Inyo County Sheriff's Office, leading to a large-scale search involving volunteers from Inyo County Search and Rescue.
Mubayi's UCSB profile states that he was pursuing a PhD in Chemical Engineering after completing his bachelor's degree in the same discipline at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2022. His research centred on sustainable technologies. According to his LinkedIn profile, he studied bacteria and biological processes that could break down plant waste and plastics to create eco-friendly alternatives to petroleum-based materials.
During his time at UCSB, he also worked as a teaching assistant for undergraduate and postgraduate chemical engineering courses.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Mubayi was described as a "fairly experienced hiker".
A self-authored biography published by Illini 4000, a student-run non-profit organisation he participated in during his undergraduate years, highlighted his passion for sports and the outdoors.
While the search was ongoing, his family shared details of his planned hiking route on social media in the hope that anyone who had seen him would come forward. Authorities have not disclosed any further information regarding the circumstances of his death.
