Search co-ordinator Manolis Tsimpoukas told reporters there has been ‘nothing’ on their search route to help with the investigation into missing doctor Michael Mosley
It has been confirmed that officers have shifted their focus to “highly dangerous” areas in the search for missing TV doctor Michael Mosley.
Manolis Tsimpoucas, who is organising the search for missing people in the Dodecanese islands, said they had shifted their efforts to an area known locally as “The Abyss”. There is no sign of the missing doctor so far, the search coordinator said. The 67-year-old Briton went missing on Wednesday whilst on a walk on the Greek island of Symi.
His wife, Dr Claire Bailey, reported him to police after he had not returned home after six hours. She described the ordeal as the “longest and most excruciating days” for her and her four children. Rescue efforts, which initially began in Pedi Bay, are now focusing the search on a “bottomless” network of tunnels near Agia Marina.
Authorities fear the father of four may have taken a “wrong turn”. Emergency teams began a four-mile radius search this morning in the mountainous area surrounded by sea. Locals have warned that the area known as “The Abyss” is not safe, stressing that anyone could drown in the tunnels.
A waiter working nearby said the “deep tunnel system” was filled with water. “If there was a hole and you fell in you’d lose your balance and drown in there,” he told The Telegraph. “There’s a reason they call it the ‘abyss’ – something very strange is going on.”
Dr Mosley felt unwell before a walk on the island. Latest CCTV footage appears to show the doctor walking under an umbrella near the marina in Pedi village on Symi. Earlier footage from the property, on the edge of Pedi’s tiny marina, showed the health guru strolling towards the mountain path at around 2pm local time on Wednesday.
“We will not give up hope”
Meanwhile, the wife of missing Michael Mosley vowed to continue the search for the 67-year-old, declaring, “We will not give up hope”. Claire Bailey, 62, spoke for the first time about the disappearance of her husband, a TV doctor, on the Greek island of Symi.
She said: “It has been three days since Michael left the beach to go for a walk. These are the longest and most excruciating days for me and my children. The search continues and our family is incredibly grateful to the people of Symi, the Greek authorities and the British Consulate General who are working tirelessly in the search for Michael,” said Katherine – who followed the last known footprints of their father.
They were probably part of a small group, including some friends, who were searching along the three-kilometre-long footpath between Pedi and Agia Marina.
The mayor of the island, Eleftherios Papakaloudoukas, said: “We know that it went through Pedi and then headed towards Agia Marina. It is about two miles and the path is more difficult than from St. Nicholas. If he really tried to reach Simi, then this is a big mistake. Again, many disturbing questions arise. Why did he leave the beach, his wife and his friends? Why didn’t he pick up the phone? CCTV footage also shows that he did not stop in Pedi to have a drink or rest. He seemed very determined to leave. Of course, it would have been better to stop and drink coffee or water, but no, he decided to carry on.”
A helicopter, police and other rescuers, including Red Cross volunteers flown in from the neighboring island of Kos, joined the hunt yesterday. One group, who had just finished a three-hour shift, described the heat as almost unbearable. The mayor said that the sniffer dogs brought from Athens were also struggling with the extreme temperatures, with one of them getting tired after just an hour. But he promised to continue the search and said a thermal imaging helicopter would arrive soon.
He added: “We are searching an area of about 6.5 km in the mountains. There are only rocks here, no shade, no trees. It is impossible to survive in 47 degree heat.” British tourists also took part in the operation. Two of them, 68-year-old Ian Braunsort and 70-year-old friend Sue, said: “We walked from the town of Symi. We knew the area because we had just passed through it and when we heard it we thought, ‘Let’s go around again and have a look.'” From where we stopped we could see the area we were looking for.
CCTV evidence
Officers considered a number of theories, including that Dr Mosley may have fallen off a cliff or been bitten by a snake. CCTV footage shows a man believed to be him walking with a purple umbrella just over a mile from the beach he set out from. He and his wife were staying in a holiday home near Symi, the main port on the island, which is just 25 square miles and has a population of just 2,500.
She raised the alarm after he failed to return at 7.30pm on Wednesday. After his disappearance, the son of a Welshman who vanished without a trace while walking on a Greek island five years ago urged Mosley to continue the search. John Tossell, 78, from Bridgend, went missing after visiting the monastery on Mount Skopos on Zakynthos.
Son Gary told Sky News: “When I read the story it’s similar to my dad’s story. I wish nothing but love for the Mosley family as I know exactly what they are going through. I want to tell them not to give up. Born in Calcutta, India, Dr Mosley worked as an investment banker before studying medicine.
He then joined the BBC as a trainee production assistant and has appeared on the One Show and ITV’s This Morning. He has just completed a nationwide tour with his wife called Eat Well, Sleep Better, Live Longer. Dr Mosley, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before he was able to reverse it, has been an advocate of intermittent fasting, including the 5:2 diet and the Fast 800 diet. He has sold more than two million books and won an Emmy Award for the BBC science documentary The Human Face.
Dr Michael Mosley’s disappearance – timeline
Michael Mosley disappearance timeline
Wednesday, June 4: Police alerted to missing doc six hours after he left
Dr Mosley left his wife, Dr Clare Bailey, on St Nikolas beach at around 1.30pm on Wednesday. He is believed to have set off on a popular coasting walking route towards the small village of Pedi. The stroll is estimated to take around 15 minutes, with the route previously being described as a “clear path”.
The TV doctor had not returned to the accommodation where he was staying with his wife by 3pm. When she arrived back to the property, she found his phone in the same position he had left it in before he headed out. Dr Bailey alerted the police that he was missing at around 7.30pm and the rescue operation was subsequently launched.
During that day, Dr Mosley was captured on CCTV at the St Nikolas beach restaurant. Grini Kaurmadia, whose family own the establishment, said Dr Mosley used the bathroom at around 1pm on Wednesday. She said: “We can see him go into the bathroom and then leave, we don’t know where he went next. We don’t know how he got here, some people catch the water taxi from Symi. They didn’t eat here so we don’t know how long they were at the beach. We did not speak with him.”
Thursday, June 6: Locals spread the word over missing doc as mayor shares doubts that Michael is still in the area
Symi Facebook groups began receiving posts asking for local members to keep an eye out for Dr Mosley. The group “Friends of Symi” appealed for witnesses and described the health expert as a “familiar face for many British people”.
By the afternoon, firefighters and the coastguard joined forces with the police leading the search operation. The task force also employed a team of dogs, helicopters, and a thermal imaging drone to scour the area around Pedi. In the evening, the Mayor of Symi said it was “impossible” that Dr Mosley is still in the area. He said: “It is a very small, controlled area, full of people. So, if something happened to him there, we would have found him by now.”
Friday 7 June: Extreme weather warnings: Divers, patrol boats join search
More weather warnings were issued on Friday as forecasters stressed that temperatures could reach 48°C. Friday’s search began at 9am, with divers beginning to search the water in the afternoon.
Coast Guard Simi reported: “All our patrol boats are searching… about five, as well as all private and commercial boats are aware of the incident, and they are also searching (for him) in the area (as is) private, commercial and patrol (search boats).”
A spokesman for the Greek Fire Service confirmed that Greek police are using sniffer dogs in searches. Later that day, the first CCTV footage was released, showing the doctor walking in under an umbrella near the Blue Corner cafe in Pedi.
Saturday 8 June: The search continues, firefighters have to split up and a snake warning is issued.
6am: The search coordinator confirmed this morning that the search resumed around 6am. Firefighters began inspecting the mountainous area surrounded by the sea within a 6.5km radius.
Manolis Tsimpukas, who searches for missing people in the Dodecanese islands, said there was no sign of Dr Mosley. He described the area as “very dangerous” and said if anything was found, a doctor would be located within an hour.
Just before 8am: Symi Mayor Eleftherios
papakaloudoukas said there was “no chance” the search would be called off until he was found. The long-serving mayor described the area Dr Mosley is believed to have walked through as “difficult to navigate” and “all made of stone”. He raised further concerns when he said there were “lots” of snakes living in the area.
10:34: Firefighters released a drone while climbing through mountainous terrain. There is no path or shade on the hill between Pedi Bay and Agia Marina, and it is believed he went there. This came after a heat warning was issued for the area.
Just before 11am: Individual firefighters had to split up as they tackled large sections of the steep, rocky terrain alone. A uniformed worker said ten of them had searched several peaks because it was too dangerous for large teams to work in the summer months. Firefighter Stergos Giakoumakis said: “Because it is not easy to bring 100 people here, especially at this time, because this is the most dangerous time. Everything is dry and it is too dangerous for the fire brigade to search it.”