YOUNGSTOWN — The body found early Tuesday at a U.S. air base in Japan is confirmed to be Trevor Balint, the 34-year-old Hubbard man who was the subject of an extensive search since his Feb. 1 disappearance.

U.S. Tim Ryan, D-Howland, confirmed the death and expressed his condolences Tuesday afternoon.

“Andrea and my prayers go out to his wife, Britni, and to their family,” Ryan stated.

Ryan vowed to work to ensure Balint’s family receives as much information as is available.

The congressman and other officials kept contact with Japanese and U.S. military officials after Balint, a teacher at the civilian elementary school on Yakota Air Base in Japan, was reported missing.

A man was found unresponsive Tuesday morning on the base, according to a news release from the base. The media statement, however, did not confirm whether the body was Balint. The individual was pronounced dead by medical personnel who arrived at the scene.

Family members later Tuesday confirmed the identity as Balint.

“Yes, it is him,” Britni Balint’s mother, Denise Mott of Brookfield, said in a message sent Tuesday evening from Japan. She and her daughter have been in Japan helping authorities with the search. “We have received NO details other than it is him.”

The cause and the circumstances surrounding Balint’s death are under investigation, the news release from the base states.

“I know that Trevor’s family still has many unanswered questions,” Ryan said in a statement Tuesday. “I will remain in close contact with military leadership at Yakota Air Base and the Balint family and will assist in any way necessary in the days ahead.”

According to a video posted to a social media site, Britni Balint told security she last saw her husband at 1:30 a.m. Feb. 1 at their apartment located near the east gate of the air base. Trevor Balint taught at Mendel Elementary School, which is close to the apartment.

Britni Balint had received a phone call later on Feb. 1 that someone had found her husband’s wallet at a building located on the base. At 5:30 p.m. that day, the wife retrieved the wallet and in a search of the building found his cellphone, keys, jacket, facemask, shoes as well as alcoholic beverage containers. She called security to report Balint missing after coming home from that search.

Since that time, Americans in Japan had been helping the family in the search by posting flyers in and around the base and also using social media. Ryan and U.S. Sen. Rob Portman last week helped Mott obtain an emergency visa to fly to Japan Feb. 12 to help and support her daughter.

gvogrin@tribtoday.com