French paraglider Xavier Murillo was found dead Thursday high up in the Peruvian Andes after disappearing six days, police said. The 55-year-old's body was found tangled up with his glider.

After days of search and rescue efforts, spokesman for the local police force Cesar Mendoza Abarca told reporters that Murillo was discovered on the Huascaran mountain in the western Andes, at an altitude of some 18,000 feet (5,500 meters).

Murillo disappeared on Friday last week amid an activity week with a group of mountaineers.

He reportedly made an initial descent on a new paragliding route when he lost control of his equipment.

Murillo is also a renowned French adventure sport photographer and had contributed images to several climbing and extreme sport magazines.