Family of Sydney West, missing UC Berkeley student, renews search efforts

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The family of a San Francisco-area college student who vanished last year near the Golden Gate Bridge is more than doubling a reward for her return amid renewed search efforts. 

The announcement of the $25,000 reward from the family Sydney West came Wednesday, on the six-month anniversary of her disappearance. 

"As 6 months passes where we have not seen or heard from Sydney, it becomes increasingly painful," her parents, Jay and Kimberly West, said in a statement issued to Fox News. "Holidays and milestones come and go while we continue to feel Sydney's absence continuously. We remain hopeful that someone knows something that will be helpful in finding her."

The family of Sydney West is offering a $25,000 reward for her return. (findsydneywest.com)

West was last seen on the morning of Sept. 30 on the iconic bridge. She took a ride-share service to the location and the driver was interviewed by police, a website set up by her family said.

The family said West had a lengthy phone conversation with her father the night before she disappeared. Video footage from the bridge turned out to be of no use in trying to find West, they said. 

"Unfortunately, foggy conditions that morning obstructed many of the camera views making it impossible to tell her exact location on the bridge or how she may have exited the bridge," the family website said. "The nearby wildfires impacted air quality as well.  We do know that the bridge was busy with walkers, joggers, cyclists, commuters who may have seen something."

West grew up in Pleasanton, an hour east of San Francisco, and moved with her family to Chapel Hill, N.C., while in high school. She came back to California to attend the University of California, Berkeley. 

Sydney West, 19, was last seen near San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. She moved to the area from North Carolina to attended college. (Orange County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina)

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While at Berkeley, she took all virtual classes due to the coronavirus pandemic, which proved challenging, her family said. She suffered a concussion last summer and was still recovering when she left for California.

She eventually decided to defer until the 2021 fall semester. Since her disappearance, there hasn't been any activity on her phone or credit cards.