Found Deceased Steven Harper, 38, Dundee cyclist lost contact with family, 23 Nov 2023

[LemonMint]

”The brother of a cyclist missing in France fears he may have eaten a "lethal" mushroom while foraging.

Steven Harper was attempting to pedal from Dundee to India when he lost contact with family on 23 November near Monanco.

The 38-year-old was robbed of his bike and passport in the south of France and texts home told how he felt sick after ingesting the fungi…

… His last post was "geotagged" to a hilltop overlooking Roquebrune-Cap-Martin between the principality and the town of Menton.

He had travelled through Andorra, Spain and France before being attacked in Nice, when his bike was stolen along with most of his possessions.”

Dundee cyclist missing in France may have eaten lethal mushroom

Steven Harper disappeared after telling family he was foraging on a hillside in the south of France.

www.bbc.com

 

[LemonMint]

Dundee businessman travels to Europe in frantic search for missing brother

Steven Harper, 38, has not been heard of since late November.

www.thecourier.co.uk

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

A Scots cyclist missing in France may have eaten a ‘potentially lethal’ mushroom while foraging for food.

Steven Harper, who earlier had his bike and bank card stolen, has not made contact with friends and family since November 23.

He was attempting to cycle from Dundee to India and his last known location was near the French border with Monaco, where his brother Dale believes he spent the night on a hill.

In a social media post entitled ‘Please help me find my little brother’, Mr Harper, from Dundee, wrote: ‘From what we know so far, Steven had his bike and bank card stolen along with his passport in early November.

‘His last message on November 23 said he had ingested a potentially lethal mushroom while foraging for food and we have not heard from him since. This has only come to my attention in the last 24 hours and I’ve been too distraught to write this.’

[...]

Mr Harper, 40, who has not seen his brother since he left Dundee in 2022, said Steven’s sister-in-law raised the alarm when she received a message saying he felt unwell after he boiled and ate mushrooms he had found.

He told the BBC: ‘Steven said he had been throwing up but he felt better. But it was radio silence from then. He had almost everything taken from him in Nice. It’s not unusual not to see Steven for long periods, but he had an itinerary and gives pretty regular updates on his movements.’

It is believed he still had a sleeping bag and a few other personal items with him.

Mr Harper said the police in France, Italy and Monaco were now involved. The brothers’ mother, Angela Bear, posted a Facebook appeal on Missing.

[...]

Missing Scots cyclist 'may have eaten deadly mushrooms'

A Scots cyclist may have eaten a 'potentially lethal' mushroom while foraging for food. Steven Harper, who had his bike and bank card stolen, has not made contact with family since November.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[LemonMint]

”Steven’s older brother, Dale Harper, flew to Nice in France on Tuesday to head a search and has been attempting to retrace his sibling's last known steps.

Dale, 40, told Sky News that he has already scoured part of the coast from Nice to Sanremo in Italy, and Friday's search will focus on the area between Menton and Ventimiglia in northern Italy.

He believes his brother managed to make it into Italy.

Dale said: "If he did ingest and ultimately survive a potentially lethal dosage of a toxic mushroom, then he is more than likely in a state of debilitation from kidney, liver or other damage.

"We don't know what he ate obviously - and it is speculation - but ultimately that is the most terrifying part.

Dale said all the relevant authorities have been notified and nearby hospitals have been checked "many times.”

Search for missing cyclist Steven Harper who fell ill after eating wild mushrooms in France

Steven Harper, 38, has failed to get in touch with family and friends since 23 November. His brother, Dale, flew to Nice earlier this week and has been attempting to retrace his sibling's steps in an effort to find him.

news.sky.com

 

[Grouse]

Another article here

What we know about missing person Steven Harper

 

[AmandaSkis]

I hope he’s found. I would love to know if he was typically scavenging for food, or if he had brought food with him and that was stolen.

I am also curious how he was planning to continue the trek to India without his bike. Was he going to travel the rest of the distance by foot?

 

[KaylynnCouture]

This is very sad and unfortunately I don’t see it ending well.

How was he normally communicating with his family? I’m assuming phone, although I can’t imagine the cell coverage is great. It’s also odd that his wallet and bike would’ve been stolen, but not his phone in early November.

 

[ifindedout]

Mr Harper, 40, who has not seen his brother since he left Dundee in 2022, said Steven’s sister-in-law raised the alarm when she received a message saying he felt unwell after he boiled and ate mushrooms he had found.

He told the BBC: ‘Steven said he had been throwing up but he felt better. But it was radio silence from then. He had almost everything taken from him in Nice. It’s not unusual not to see Steven for long periods, but he had an itinerary and gives pretty regular updates on his movements.’

RSBBM
From the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC):

Death Cap Mushrooms

Death cap mushrooms are a high health risk in our urban environments. Eating them may lead to liver and kidney damage as well as death.

www.bccdc.ca

The symptoms of death cap mushroom poisoning include low blood pressure, nausea and vomiting (which begins 8 to 12 hours after ingestion). After up to 24 hours have passed, the symptoms seem to disappear and you might feel fine for up to 72 hours. Symptoms of liver and kidney damage start 3 to 6 days after the mushrooms were eaten.

 

[ifindedout]

Roquebrunne-Cap Martin (mentioned in the OP)

43°45'46.1"N 7°27'47.2"E · 29 Av. Gabriel Hanotaux, 06190 Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France

29 Av. Gabriel Hanotaux, 06190 Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France

www.google.com

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[LadyL]

they took his bike and passport but not his phone? seems strange?

 

[LadyL]

RSBBM
From the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC):

The symptoms of death cap mushroom poisoning include low blood pressure, nausea and vomiting (which begins 8 to 12 hours after ingestion). After up to 24 hours have passed, the symptoms seem to disappear and you might feel fine for up to 72 hours. Symptoms of liver and kidney damage start 3 to 6 days after the mushrooms were eaten.

yep I learned that in the Australian mushroom poisoning case here on WS

 

[Grouse]

they took his bike and passport but not his phone? seems strange?

Maybe he had his phone on him, but left the bike unattended, but would be a bit surprising to leave passport and wallet if so.

 

[3point5]

It could perhaps be that his bike got nicked with a tailbag still attached that had his passport in. I know when im motorcycling and pop into a shop ill leave my tailbag attached if uts a quick stop.

I hope there's a good outcome here, but a month with no contact seems unusual for the chap.

 

[Unsolved]

I've seen some Naked and Afraid episodes (Discovery Channel TV) where someone eats an unknown mushroom and suffers for it. One guy was particularly scary because the symptoms started immediately. JMO but based on what I saw on those episodes I wonder if Steven climbed into his sleeping bag and never made it out? Gosh I hope not, but just in case, searchers might find out what color that bag was and check the ground for that. It might look like some discarded clothes, or a pile of trash.

Mushroom Observer

Mushroom Observer is a forum where amateur and professional mycologists can come together and celebrate their common passion for mushrooms by discussing and sharing photos of mushroom sightings from around the world.

mushroomobserver.org

 

[StillDiggin]

A really sad update, RIP Steven
A SCOTS cyclist who went missing overseas after eating wild mushrooms has been found dead in Italy.
It has now emerged he fell from a cliff in Ventimiglia, four miles from the French-Italian border, on November 23.

His family believe he may have become disorientated because of toxins from the mushrooms he had eaten while foraging for food.

His last known message mentioned he was feeling ill after making a meal which included mushrooms and noodles.

Missing Scots cyclist found dead after eating wild mushrooms & falling off cliff

A SCOTS cyclist who went missing overseas after eating wild mushrooms has been found dead in Italy. Steven Harper was on a cycling trip from Dundee to India but his family raised the alarm in Decem…

www.thescottishsun.co.uk

 

[rhino]

A really sad update, RIP Steven
A SCOTS cyclist who went missing overseas after eating wild mushrooms has been found dead in Italy.
It has now emerged he fell from a cliff in Ventimiglia, four miles from the French-Italian border, on November 23.

His family believe he may have become disorientated because of toxins from the mushrooms he had eaten while foraging for food.

His last known message mentioned he was feeling ill after making a meal which included mushrooms and noodles.

Missing Scots cyclist found dead after eating wild mushrooms & falling off cliff

A SCOTS cyclist who went missing overseas after eating wild mushrooms has been found dead in Italy. Steven Harper was on a cycling trip from Dundee to India but his family raised the alarm in Decem…

www.thescottishsun.co.uk

So he was seen to fall and offered immediate assistance, but it’s taken this long to identify him?

 

[StillDiggin]

Missing Scottish cyclist Steven Harper who became ill after eating wild mushrooms found dead in Italy following cliff fall

Steven Harper, 38, left Dundee last year to cycle to India but went missing during his adventure. His older brother, Dale Harper, flew out to Italy earlier this month to identify his sibling's body.

news.sky.com

 

[Grouse]

Sad news RIP.