A Slovenian hiker staying at Shadow Tourism Minister and guest house owner, David Dodwell's Nevis resort has been missing for five days.

Anton Thomaziac, 50, went hiking alone on Wednesday morning but never returned prompting his wife to contact the authorities who started a search on Thursday morning.

He was staying at the Nisbett Plantation Beach Club, a resort owned by Shadow Tourism Minister David Dodwell, and mountain guides began searching for him on Thursday morning.

A search helicopter failed to locate him on Friday and so teams from the St.

Kitts Nevis Defence Force, local Police, volunteers and employees from the resort began a full scale search on Saturday.

This is believed to be the first time a hiker has been lost on the heavily wooded mountain on Nevis which is part of the twin island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis in the Leeward Islands chain.

Thomaziac is a lawyer who works in the software industry in Slovenia and is an experienced hiker who guided other hikers in his homeland.

The Nevis Peak is a 3,232 feet high inactive volcano that sits in the centre of the 36 square mile island, and is a popular attraction for hikers.

Mr. Dodwell could not be contacted for comment about the incident yesterday.