Michael Mosley cause of death revealed in initial autopsy
Heartbreaking new details about the death of beloved TV doctor Michael Mosley have been revealed in a post-mortem report.
Dr Michael Mosley may have taken a tragic final rest just a few yards away from the safety of a bar before he collapsed and died, an initial autopsy said.
Heartbreaking findings from the post-mortem report show the beloved TV doctor most likely died of natural causes at around 4pm on Wednesday - the same day he went missing on Symi.
Dr Mosley vanished after waving goodbye to his wife on the beach of Saint Nikolas - before taking a wrong turn and ending up on an unforgiving two-hour trek in scorching heat, reports The Sun.
His body was found five agonising days later lying behind a fence next to a beach bar at the Agia Marina on the other side of the small island in Greece.
Police sources told The Sun the initial findings show he sat down for a final rest before he tragically died at around 4pm on Wednesday.
They added the area is one of the hottest on the island - and said temperatures in the rocky landscape may have been more than 40 degree celsius on the day he died.
It was reported elsewhere the post-mortem found no injuries on his body that could have caused his death.
Medical sources said the position of his body suggested the doctor rested on the wall of the compound before his final collapse, reports Greek outlet Protothema.
Based on the body’s position, the initial report also concluded that Dr Mosley sat down and lost consciousness before he died.
The condition of his body has also made it difficult to determine an exact cause of death.
Footage of Dr Mosley’s final moments which is at the hands of the Greek police reveals the 67-year-old was walking at a slow pace through the mountain trying to reach the beach of Agia Marina.
The video purportedly shows the TV doctor collapsing on the rocks - indicating he was probably exhausted.
Dr Mosley’s body was found on rocky ground on the Greek island of Symi after an extensive five-day search by drones, helicopters and specially trained dogs.
And today, his friends left white flowers where he rested before his death.
The disappearance last Wednesday sparked a major search across the island after Dr Mosley failed to return home from the beach.
Tragically, Dr Mosley reportedly “almost reached safety” prior to his death.
His backpack was found approximately six metres uphill from his body, sparking new theories about the possible causes of his death just 100 metres from safety.
According to The Sun, theories on the ground suggest that Dr Mosley was either trying to reach the resort or heading towards the sea to cool down in the high temperatures before collapsing and injuring his head.
A coroner from mainland Greece travelled to Symi and ruled out anything suspicious.
Cops had crucial CCTV ‘for days’ before body was found
CCTV footage captured the British TV doctor extremely close to safety before he seemed to collapse at the spot where his body was found on Sunday.
Video filmed outside a bar showed the Brit TV star heartbreakingly close to the safety of beach resort Agia Marina and was reportedly given to cops on Wednesday night.
Greek cops admitted they had seen the footage, handed in on Wednesday after reports of Dr Mosley’s disappearance, Live News reports.
According to the outlet cops claimed it was hard to identify his body in the footage as it appeared as a small dot.
The health guru, was tragically found just 100 metres from the shoreline and beach resort at the base of a rocky mountain, but was not on a designated pathway.
The unreleased footage, as seen and reported by The Sun, captures Dr Mosley in motion at 3.44pm local time, two hours and 15 minutes after he left his wife at St Nikolas Beach.
His last known sighting was in Pedi, on the Greek island of Symi, at around 2pm, which means he was in the mountainous terrain for about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
The walk from Pedi to Agia Marina — which can only be accessed by water taxi or foot — usually takes 30 to 40 minutes, raising fears that he may have gotten lost.
In the grainy clip referenced by the publication, the individual is observed descending, moving toward the wall and barbed wire fence, before abruptly collapsing.
It’s not clear whether he fell or sat down under the scorching sun.
Adding to the tragedy, a customer can reportedly be seen in the restaurant area of the nearby beach bar, but they do not seem to notice Dr Mosley’s presence.
And it is understood the CCTV of him walking down the mountainous route was looked at by staff but they did not spot him at the time.
He is believed to have been heading back to their holiday accommodation in Symi town when he took a wrong turn while leaving the village of Pedi.
Dr Mosley then is understood to have headed northeast – ending up on a long and hard trek in rocky, difficult and barren landscape beneath a scorching sun.
The TV star did not have his phone with him – having left it at the group’s accommodation.
And all he had with him was an umbrella, his watch, his rucksack, a bottle of water, and his wallet.
Michael managed to reach the Agia Marina.
But tragically, just a few dozen metres from safety he collapsed behind a bar near a fence.
Dr Mosley spotted by TV boat
“People on a boat saw a body close to the rocky coast,” Petros Vassilakis, police chief for the southern Aegean region, told AFP.
The lifeless body was spotted by a television crew from Greece’s ERT public channel, which was out filming in the area where the 67-year-old disappeared on Wednesday after setting out for a coastal walk on his own in the heat.
ERT reporter Aristides Miaoulis said on air one of the crew’s cameramen “saw something strange near the fence, 50 metres from the sea”.
“We discovered it was this man … He was lying down (on his back).”
It brought a devastating end to a search that had mobilised the tiny island of 2600 people.
For five days, the health expert seemingly disappeared without a trace, prompting a major search operation involving helicopters, divers, dogs, and drones.
Family members flew to the island and rescuers tried to piece together what happened to him.
They faced increasingly unforgiving conditions – with temperatures so hot the jagged rocks even burned search dog’s paws.
‘It’s devastating’: Wife’s anguish
Dr Mosley’s wife, Dr Claire Bailey, confirmed his death in a touching statement.
“I don’t know quite where to begin with this,” she said.
“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. 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.”
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She had previously described the time since her husband went missing as “the longest and most unbearable days for myself and my children”.
It is understood that Dr Bailey was on the island with her British friends searching for any trace of her husband.
– with AFP
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