Urgent hunt for health guru Dr Michael Mosley after columnist goes missing during hike on Greek holiday
6 June 2024, 12:41 | Updated: 7 June 2024, 07:20
A desperate search operation is underway for prominent health expert Dr Michael Mosley after he went missing during a coastal walk on a Greek holiday.
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Authorities are concerned Dr Mosley, 67, may have "fallen from a height" after he set off on a hike along St Nicholas Beach on Symi at around 1.30pm on Wednesday.
His wife, Dr Clare Bailey, 62, raised the alarm after he failed to return back to their accommodation hours later at 7.30pm.
The TV doctor has a prominent Daily Mail column and makes regular appearances on This Morning and The One Show. He also hosts the BBC's Just One Thing health podcast.
A local Symi Facebook group released an urgent plea for locals to look out for the doctor, adding that drones were now being deployed.
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The update at 11am on Thursday said: "A search and rescue team is coming from Athens with drones and other more sophisticated equipment to extend the search. They are expected to arrive by about 1 p.m.
The post, which shared an image of the TV doctor dressed in shorts, a blue polo shirt, a baseball cap and sunglasses, asked locals if they had seen him.
"He set off to walk back from St Nick's at about 13.30 and failed to make it home. His friends are concerned as it is 6 hours since they last saw him.
"His name is Dr Mike Mosley and he is a familiar face for many British people as he has appeared on the BBC."
A later update said: "He still has not been found and the search continues."
A comment on one of the appeals said the doctor "left his phone at his accommodation".
"These days it should be pretty difficult to get lost on Symi as so many of the paths have been surfaced and there is a lot more activity even in the most remote areas," it added.
Addressing the TV doctor's disappearance, Senior Police Spokesman Constantina Dimoglidou told MailOnline: "He was at the beach of Ag. Nikolas with another couple when he decided to go back to his home in the area of Pedi of Symi.
"It was around 1.30pm and he forgot his phone at the beach. Any and every attempt to track him down has not produced any result.
"We have now asked the fire brigade to assist in the operation in the case that he may have slipped, tripped, fallen, even bitten by a snake, remaining injured somewhere.
"There is just no trace of him. None whatsoever and that means that for us at least, every potential scenario is open and being investigated."
Dr Mosley is credited with raising the popularity of the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet, where people are encouraged to fast for two days per week.
Broadcaster Jeremy Vine sent a message of support to the doctor's family. He wrote: "I'm praying this lovely man is found and thinking of Claire [sic] and the whole Mosley family."
