Student, 19, mysteriously goes missing on hike after taking snap with strangers

A 19-year-old student has vanished without a trace after becoming separated from her friends during a mountain climbin Mexico.

Ana Amelí Garcia Gámez was last seen 11 days ago on July 12 posing for a photo with a group of strangers she reportedly met on the trail. The biology studenthad become detached from her group while climbingthe Pico del Águila mountain in the Cumbres del Ajusco National Park near MexicoCity - and chose to press on alone. She texted a relative between 4pm and 5pm saying she was okay, but did not share her exact location. It was the last time anyone heard from her.

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Ana is described as being 5'3" tall with a chipped front tooth and a stretched earlobe on her right ear. On the day she vanished, she was dressed in a white jacket, military-style trousers, brown climbing boots, a white helmet and a light blue backpack.

Her father, Ricardo Garcia, raised the alarm after she failed to return home that evening. According to her family, Ana was separated from her friends mid-climb and decided to continue alone until she came across another group on the trail.

In the last images before her disappearance, Ana posed for photos at the peak with members of a hiking group called Senderismo Tepemecatl.

An investigation has been launched by the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection and the Attorney General's Office to get to the bottom of the avid climber's mysterious disappearance.

More than 100 officials have been divided into five groups to scour the mountain range for the missing teen. The search operation includes the use of drones, helicopters and canine units.

Investigators have also been speaking to witnesses and close friends while keeping the young woman's family informed of any updates. Officers probed the group of hikers she was photographed with at the peak, but they said she separated from them shortly afterwards.

Members of the public are now being asked to come forward with any information that could help officers track down Ana.

Pico del Águila, in Mexico City's Ajusco area, can be a challenging hike due to its steep incline, loose rocks, and potential for slippery conditions, especially in rainy weather. It has an elevation of 3,900 meters (12,800 feet) and is just 50 minutes from Mexico City.