Tourist toll rises in heat-hit Greece after TV doctor Michael Mosley tragedy

A sixth tourist has perished in Greece during unseasonally high temperatures since TV doctor Michael Mosley’s death.

An elderly German hiker was found dead on the island of Crete, the fire department said, the latest tourist fatality during a period of unseasonally high temperatures in Greece.

The man had been declared missing on Sunday and was found near a rugged ravine in the south of the island on Monday, the fire department said in a statement.

State news agency ANA said the area where the 68-year-old was found was so inaccessible that it could not be reached by helicopter and the body had to be moved by rescuers on foot.

It was the sixth fatality this month among foreign visitors to Crete and other popular Greek island destinations, following the death of BBC presenter Michael Mosley, whose body was found on Symi island on June 9.

An 80-year-old Belgian man was found dead near the ancient city of Lato in eastern Crete a few days later, followed by a 55-year-old Dutch man who was found dead in his car on the edge of a cliff in the island’s southeast on June 19, according to state TV ERT.

LA deputy sheriff Albert Calibet is still missing in Greece. Credit CNN

A 74-year-old Dutch man was found dead on the island of Samos on June 15, followed by a 55-year-old American man on the island of Corfu the following day.

In addition, two French women aged 73 and 64 have been missing on the island of Sikinos for over a week, while a 59-year-old retired LA deputy sheriff Albert Calibet, visiting the island of Amorgos remains unaccounted for since June 11.

Greece’s public health authorities earlier this month issued warnings on the risk of heat exposure, advising against staying outdoors during the hottest hours of the day.

Greece on June 11-13 experienced its earliest summer heatwave on record, with temperatures exceeding 40C in many areas.

Similar temperatures near 40 degrees Celsius were recorded in various parts of the country last week.

MISSING FRENCH TOURIST SENT SOS

A missing female hiker sent a distress message to her hotel on Sikinos island before she vanished in searing temperatures, it has been revealed.

The owner of the guesthouse that the 73-year-old French woman was staying at said he last heard from her when he called her back at around 8.30am, having missed her call at 5.50am last Friday, the day she went missing, reports the Independent UK.

A second French woman, 64, who is also missing on Sikinos was not staying at the same property but authorities now believe the two missing women went hiking together.

A 73-year-old French woman missing on the Greek island of #Sikinos since last week sent a distress message to her hotel before disappearing, the owner says. #Greecehttps://t.co/Uje7Xs0kSA

— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) June 18, 2024

The mayor of Sikinos, Vassilis Marakis, said emergency services had focused on rocky terrain into which the two female hikers may have ventured.

“Volunteers have arrived from Santorini, firefighters, the police, a specially trained dog have all been looking, but the terrain is rocky and full of ravines. The effort has been huge, but the area where they disappeared is difficult and, sadly, we still haven’t found them,” he said.

CAUSE OF DR MOSLEY’S DEATH MAY NOT BE KNOWN FOR MONTHS

The full cause of Dr Mosley’s death may not be known for months.

A coroner has indicated the death of the father of four was “most likely” due to natural causes, however it could take several months before the post-mortem results are finalised.

The popular TV doctor and author was found dead just 90 seconds from the safety of a beach resort bar on the Greek island of Symi five days after going missing on June 5.

Police release chilling footage of TV doctor Michael Mosley, whose body was found on the Greek island of Symi. Picture: Mega TV

DR MOSLEY’S FINAL MOMENTS CAPTURED ON CAMERA

CCTV footage revealed the final tragic moments of the 67-year-old sheltering under an umbrella from the torrid 40C heat just before his death.

The footage released by Greek police shows the father of four clutching an umbrella on his final walk two hours before he died.

In one frame he is seen walking determinedly to his destination and in another he is captured standing still and looking disoriented.

“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,” his widow, Dr Clare Bailey, said in a statement.

“He did an incredible climb, took the wrong route and collapsed where he couldn’t be easily seen by the extensive search team.”

Jannis Volas, who led the search and rescue operation told The independent that: ‘It is a very sad day; we always hoped we’d find him alive.”

The body believed to be Dr Michael Mosley is carried 80ft from the rocks in Symi where he was found to the sea was seeking to reach. Picture: X

TV DOCTOR’S FINAL INTERVIEW

Just days before he died, Dr Mosley had recorded a final interview with the haunting title “How to Live a Good Life”.

Dr Mosley’s interview with Paul Bloom, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University, took place on May 25 – just 11 days before he died after going missing in Greece.

Dr Mosley was a guest of the Hay Festival – a global event held in Hay-on-Wye in Wales which presents some of the world’s greatest thinkers on stage.

As well as recording the interview with Prof Bloom, which aired on BBC Radio, Dr Mosley also did a public recording of his wildly popular podcast Just One Thing with psychologist Professor Tanya Byron.

The BBC aired the last interview as part of their tribute to the late Dr Mosley.

The 67-year-old is thought to have died Two-and-a-half hours after setting out on a walk that would turn fatal.

“The interview sees Michael at his best, full of warmth, insight and thoroughly enjoying his time with the audience,” the BBC website read.

Two months before his untimely death, Dr Mosley revealed his biggest fear was dying “early” like his father.

The former GP and popular television doctor said his dedication to nutrition and adventure was borne out of lessons learned from the death of his father, aged 74, and the fear of not being alive for his prospective grandchildren.

His father was diagnosed with diabetes in his 50s, a condition Dr Mosley himself later inherited.

– with AFP

Originally published as Tourist toll rises in heat-hit Greece after TV doctor Michael Mosley tragedy