'We had an incredibly lucky life together': Dr Michael Mosley's wife pays tribute after body found on Greek island
9 June 2024, 13:37 | Updated: 9 June 2024, 14:50
Doctor Michael Mosley's wife has paid tribute after a body was found in the search for him on a Greek island.
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The TV doctor's body was discovered in a rocky area beside Agia Marina on Symi island, following four days of searching.
Five firefighters left the island with the body on a stretcher at around 2.45pm local time, having arrived 35 minutes earlier.
In a statement, his wife Dr Clare Bailey said: "I don’t know quite where to begin with this. It’s devastating to have lost Michael, my wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband. We had an incredibly lucky life together.
"We loved each other very much and were so happy together," a statement issued on behalf of Michael Mosley's wife says.
"I am incredibly proud of our children, their resilience and support over the past days.
"My family and I have been hugely comforted by the outpouring of love from people from around the world. It’s clear that Michael meant a huge amount to so many of you.
"We’re taking comfort in the fact that he so very nearly made it. He did an incredible climb, took the wrong route and collapsed where he couldn’t be easily seen by the extensive search team.
"Michael was an adventurous man, it’s part of what made him so special.
"We are so grateful to the extraordinary people on Symi who have worked tirelessly to help find him. Some of these people on the island, who hadn’t even heard of Michael, worked from dawn till dusk unasked. We’re also very grateful to the press who have dealt with us with great respect.
"I feel so lucky to have our children and my amazing friends. Most of all, I feel so lucky to have had this life with Michael.
"Thank you all."
Dr Mosley disappeared four days ago during a trek, with rescuers having been searching nearby caves known as 'the Abyss'.
He and his wife were on holiday with another couple when he was reported missing on Wednesday afternoon.
The rocky terrain became the centre of the search after all sea searches were stood down on Saturday - seeming to discount theories that he had fallen into the sea.
During the search, one emergency worker had to be stretchered away from the scene after falling on the terrain.
Body found in the search for missing TV doctor Michael Mosley
The mayor said he had been on the way to search in a cave when he saw the body on the rocks above the beach.
Agia Marina bar manager Ilias Tsavaris, 38, discovered the body after it was flagged by the mayor.
"They saw it with the boat," he said. "The mayor came and saw something so that is when they called me and said 'hey they saw something go and check there'.
"They called me, they said 'you know what we saw something from far away can you go and check' so I went there.
"So when I walked up I saw something like a body to make sure. You don't see a dead body everyday, it is not a warzone, it's summer you are supposed to have fun and swimming.
"He came from Pedi OK, and he walked not through the restaurant. If he had walked through there (the bar) we would have checked the cameras.
He said "rescuers had searched that area everyday with helicopters".
It came after fresh CCTV showed Dr Mosley walking towards the hills on a Greek island before his disappearance.
His family flew out to the island to help with the search for him.
