Greece American tourist a retired cop, 59, not returned from a solo hike, Amorgos Island, 11 June 24

[otto]

...

 

[GTB72]

That would make sense if he headed out at

That would make sense if he headed out at 7am. But he chatted with his sister after 7, for 16 minutes, or something like that, and didn't send the trailhead photo until after 9am. I wonder if he felt rushed due to his obligation and that, added to the intense heat, caused a fatal problem.

ETA: This sounds like something I would do! (Except that I don't live in a dangerous environment....but I could still see myself doing this.

If everything we know so far is correct, he must be in this area. Next we should look at water and wind currents - on an Island, bodies sometimes move towards the deep ocean.

Google Earth

View attachment 510657

Why would he be walking anywhere near that area? His walk would take him North West to South West of the island. To my mind he wouldn't be anywhere the area you have circled. But of course it wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong.

 

[Snoopster]

If everything we know so far is correct, he must be in this area. Next we should look at water and wind currents - on an Island, bodies sometimes move towards the deep ocean.

Google Earth

View attachment 510657

I absolutely believe that he is in that area. I am curious though that there was a news article a day or two ago that said the searchers were focusing to the north side of the island (i.e. on the other side of the ridge). I wonder if that was because their original search didn't find anything on the SE side.
He could have veered off course to the west, but I am with you. I believe he is to the west, down the cliffs.
Of course I would love to hear that he simply ran off somewhere. But I'm not holding my breath on that.

Hugs to Albert's brother and girlfriend. I can't imagine what they are going through. They have to consider every possibility, no matter how remote. I know that I would if it were my loved one.

 

[Snoopster]

Why would he be walking anywhere near that area? His walk would take him North West to South West of the island. To my mind he wouldn't be anywhere the area you have circled. But of course it wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong.

Because that is the ridgeline for the trail. It falls off sharply to the east.
(Picture walking on a tightrope from the NW to the SW where the SW is further west.)

 

[GTB72]

Because that is the ridgeline for the trail. It falls off sharply to the east.
(Picture walking on a tightrope from the NW to the SW where the SW is further west.)

So effectively it's not a straight trail then? That seems weird how much you have to drop down from his starting point to get to his destination.

 

[GTB72]

Because that is the ridgeline for the trail. It falls off sharply to the east.
(Picture walking on a tightrope from the NW to the SW where the SW is further west.)

I accept what you are saying but that means he has to drop due south from his starting point according to the graphic above and then turn west to where he is going. Google Maps suggests otherwise.

 

[Snoopster]

I accept what you are saying but that means he has to drop due south from his starting point according to the graphic above and then turn west to where he is going. Google Maps suggests otherwise.

The route you posted is the driving/road route to Katapola. The hiking trail is further to the east and goes by the monastery. On the hiking trail as you approach the monastery, the slope drops off sharply to the E/SE. Otto's topographical map shows it perfectly. Please look at Otto's maps above. That is where the hiking trail is. And this is the original route I posted, based on AllTrails suggested hiking route.

ETA: BTW, the steep slope that we are talking about is actually SW of the starting point as the entire island goes SW. So it is not 'due south'. It goes in the general direction of Chora, the ultimate destination. And fyi, Chora is very close to the east side of the island, almost directly east of Katapola.

 

[otto]

There's a small, unprotected lookout, or better view, where I placed a small circle. The more I look at the trail, the more I think there could be an accident, slippery dusty ground, a few feet off trail.

 

[Snoopster]

There's a small, unprotected lookout, or better view, where I placed a small circle. The more I look at the trail, the more I think there could be an accident, slippery dusty ground, a few feet off trail.

View attachment 510668

View attachment 510671

Otto, could you provide a zoomed out image so we can have a better sense of place/distance. Thank you.
And thanks for your work focusing on the route.

 

[GTB72]

The route you posted is the driving/road route to Katapola. The hiking trail is further to the east and goes by the monastery. On the hiking trail as you approach the monastery, the slope drops off sharply to the E/SE. Otto's topographical map shows it perfectly. Please look at Otto's maps above. That is where the hiking trail is.

Fair enough. All I saw was an enclosed circle and the Google Map and I couldn't quite square the circle. I get it now. Thank you.

 

[otto]

Why would he be walking anywhere near that area? His walk would take him North West to South West of the island. To my mind he wouldn't be anywhere the area you have circled. But of course it wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong.

It was posted upthread that he was at the trailhead 9 a.m., bought water at the shop on the trail, passed a church, was on the trail towards the monastery. From the monastery, he could take the trail to Katapola, the destination that is 4 hours from the trailhead.

He was not seen at the monastery, the next expected place to see him after the church. Maybe he turned around and took a different trail to Katapola, rather than the monastery trail.

 

[Snoopster]

Fair enough. All I saw was an enclosed circle and the Google Map and I couldn't quite square the circle. I get it now. Thank you.

Then ignore my very recent edit to my post just further up! I kept trying to explain the geography (unfortunately not very well!).
I love that you were questioning things. It keeps all of us on our toes and makes us question what we are looking at. So thank you for that.

 

[otto]

Otto, could you provide a zoomed out image so we can have a better sense of place/distance. Thank you.
And thanks for your work focusing on the route.

Google Earth

 

[Snoopster]

It was posted upthread that he was at the trailhead 9 a.m., bought water at the shop on the trail, passed a church, was on the trail towards the monastery. From the monastery, he could take the trail to Katapola, the destination that is 4 hours from the trailhead.

He was not seen at the monastery, the next expected place to see him after the church. Maybe he turned around and took a different trail to Katapola, rather than the monastery trail.

Otto, just to be clear, I think the trail only went to Chora, not Katapola. Apparently Albert was supposed to meet somone in Chora. And, yes, it is Chora that is approximately 4 hours along the trail and is the endpoint.

 

[whitelilac]

U.S. Tourist, 59, Disappears on Greek Island amid Heatwave Days After Michael Mosley Found Dead

American tourist Albert Calibet went missing in Greece just days after television doctor Michael Mosley was found dead as a heatwave impacts the region.

people.com

View attachment 510198
''A friend who was vacationing with Calibet at the time of his disappearance told authorities that the ex-cop left for the hike to Katapola Amorgos around 7 a.m. local time, according to the outlet. He contacted local authorities when he was unable to contact Calibet, who had not reached his destination shortly before 3:30 p.m. that same day.
His last known contact was reportedly with his sister, whom he sent a photo of a trail sign. He is believed to have two phones, but has not answered either of them.''

Retired LA County deputy disappears while hiking in blistering heat wave in Greece

A retired Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy has gone missing in Greece amid a blistering heat wave in the Mediterranean country.

abc7.com

''Albert Calibet, 59, disappeared on the island of Amorgos on Tuesday while following a route toward the village of Katapola, the Amorgos municipality said on its official social media.

The L.A. County Sheriff's Department on Thursday confirmed that a missing persons report has been filed and the department's Homicide Bureau is handling the case locally, in addition to efforts abroad.''

I was wrong that he was to meet his friend in Chora. Here it states they were supposed to meet in Katapola.
''A friend who was vacationing with Calibet at the time of his disappearance told authorities that the ex-cop left for the hike to Katapola Amorgos around 7 a.m. local time, according to the outlet. He contacted local authorities when he was unable to contact Calibet, who had not reached his destination shortly before 3:30 p.m. that same day."

(unless revised in a later article)

 

[Snoopster]

I was wrong that he was to meet his friend in Chora. Here it states they were supposed to meet in Katapola.
''A friend who was vacationing with Calibet at the time of his disappearance told authorities that the ex-cop left for the hike to Katapola Amorgos around 7 a.m. local time, according to the outlet. He contacted local authorities when he was unable to contact Calibet, who had not reached his destination shortly before 3:30 p.m. that same day."

(unless revised in a later article)

OK. So let's take a step back
I don't see where it says he was supposed to meet this person in Katapola. It says that Albert was hiking from Egialis to Katapola. It just says that he didn't reach his destination before 3:30. Was Albert going to call/text his travel companion to confirm his safe arrival? The article (clearly an early article) says that Albert left at 7:00 am for his hike, yet his sister has subsequently confirmed that she had a call with him at 7:07 and it last for around 15 minutes. So clearly he didn't leave at 7:00. There is video of him in a parking lot getting ready for his hike. I'm not sure how long after that it took him to get to the trailhead. Did he have breakfast first? His photo of the trailhead was sent to his sister at 9:20. This implies to me that he definitely didn't set off anywhere close to 7am.

I'd like to figure out where he was staying and where the trailhead is located.

Having said all of that, Albert never arrived in Katapola, and I am presuming he never arrived in Chora.

 

[otto]

Otto, just to be clear, I think the trail only went to Chora, not Katapola. Apparently Albert was supposed to meet somone in Chora. And, yes, it is Chora that is approximately 4 hours along the trail and is the endpoint.

If he had made it to Chora, it looks like an easy trail to Katapola. By the sounds of it, he was seen on the church trail, but was not seen at the next stop on the way to Kalipola, the monastery. He had two phones with him? If he had an emergency where he could make a phone call, he would have. That suggests that something wrong happened too fast to make a phone call.

 

[Snoopster]

Based on AllTrails, the beginning of the trail (which should take 4:09) was here:

 

[GTB72]

I was wrong that he was to meet his friend in Chora. Here it states they were supposed to meet in Katapola.
''A friend who was vacationing with Calibet at the time of his disappearance told authorities that the ex-cop left for the hike to Katapola Amorgos around 7 a.m. local time, according to the outlet. He contacted local authorities when he was unable to contact Calibet, who had not reached his destination shortly before 3:30 p.m. that same day."

(unless revised in a later article)

So no drop down south to Chola then from the starting point. Straight from Aegeoli to Katapola as per Google Maps.

 

[RickshawFan]

Good grief. THREE people now, in the space of a week? I hope these last two are found alright. That terrain that Dr Mosely walked shocked me. Really bad, even when not hot out.

Yes, the terrain RADIATES heat. And there's no shade.