LOS ANGELES (KTLA) — Human remains have been discovered in a Southern California mountain area where actor Julian Sands disappeared in January, authorities have confirmed.

At around 10 a.m., hikers contacted the Fontana Sheriff’s Station after coming across the remains in the Mount Baldy Wilderness Area.

Authorities recovered the remains and transported them to the coroner’s office where officials are working to identify the body, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office.

The remains are expected to be identified this week, and no further details were released.

British actor Julian Sands, 65, was reported missing in mid-January. Despite search and rescue efforts at the time, which were hampered by severe weather and “alpine conditions,” Sands was never located.

Two other hikers were found dead in the area before Sands’ disappearance. One hiker, 75-year-old Jin Chung, was later found alive.

On June 19, a large search effort for Sands – including over 80 Search and Rescue volunteers, San Bernardino County deputies and staff – ended in disappointment.

“Despite the recent warmer weather, portions of the mountain remain inaccessible due to extreme alpine conditions,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement last week. “Multiple areas include steep terrain and ravines, which still have 10 [or more] feet of ice and snow.” 

During an initial search for Sands, authorities were able to track a delayed ping through his iPhone to a trail leading to Mount Baldy’s summit. His phone last pinged just a few days after he was reported missing.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has conducted eight ground and air searches specific to Sands since his January disappearance. 

Sands, an avid hiker and mountaineer, is well known for his starring roles in “The Killing Fields,” “Warlock,” “A Room with a View,” and “Arachnophobia.”

On Friday, his family released its first statement since Sands’ disappearance.

“We continue to hold Julian in our hearts with bright memories of him as a wonderful father, husband, explorer, lover of the natural world and the arts, and as an original and collaborative performer,” the statement said.

During the winter months, authorities warned the public of the acute dangers of icy trails, gusty winds, and wintry conditions along Mount Baldy hiking trails.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.