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

[Herat]

He had two phones with him when he vanished. If he ran out of water, or lost his way, and he had his wits about him, he could have phoned for help. He did not.

That suggests that either something happened so fast that he could not use either phone, or he lost his wits and didn't think to use a phone.

I'm curious - if someone is dehydrated, or suffering sun-stroke, are they prone to taking risks? If so, that would account for going a few feet off trail, if he went a few feet off trail, wandering around without using a phone for help, lost wits, or does dehydrated mean keeping our wits about us and calling for help?

I'm leaning towards going a few feet off trail and slipping. Was he wearing proper footware?

He sounds sensible enough to be wearing footwear with a decent tread and possibly some ankle support. Previous hikers report some areas have rocks and gravel, but it's a very well traveled path.

Is there a way to triangulate a location of either of the phones?

My impression is that someone suffering from heatstroke is going to head for any kind of shade they can find, or think they are finding. He could have tried to climb underneath a ledge or rocks and not be seen from the air.

 

[GTB72]

I think it's fair to say that in 40C+ heat, being an experienced hiker is about as useful as being an experienced mountain climber during an avalanche. The only truly safe option is to not attempt it at all. The weather will win.

Whatever has happened to Albert, I predict the weather conditions played a role. Sadly, even experienced people regularly underestimate the conditions, overestimate their own ability to deal with the conditions, or a tragic combination of both creeps up on them.

It doesn't surprise me that so many holidaymakers are going missing in this heatwave. Saddened, but not surprised.

Aye. Good point re avalanche. Even the most experienced people are capable of the simplest of mistakes, unfortunately.

ETA - insert the word of

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

He had two phones with him when he vanished. If he ran out of water, or lost his way, and he had his wits about him, he could have phoned for help. He did not.

That suggests that either something happened so fast that he could not use either phone, or he lost his wits and didn't think to use a phone.

I'm curious - if someone is dehydrated, or suffering sun-stroke, are they prone to taking risks? If so, that would account for going a few feet off trail, if he went a few feet off trail, wandering around without using a phone for help, lost wits, or does dehydrated mean keeping our wits about us and calling for help?

I'm leaning towards going a few feet off trail and slipping. Was he wearing proper footware?

BBM

As I understand it, a person with heatstroke can do just about anything. The brain essentially short-circuits. Because of the delirium, a person with heatstroke won't necessarily realize there's even anything wrong, or that their behaviour is at all strange.

 

[Herat]

Apologies if this has been posted already but it appears his last sighting was approximately 2 hours from the start, where he bought a soft drink and water.

"A few minutes later he is thought to have sent a text message with a picture of the sign showing the route he was taking to Katapola, an estimated four hours on foot.

About two hours later, a local woman said she spoke to the missing tourist after he bought drinks from a nearby store. Sofia Liviaki told Mega TV that Mr Calibet had drunk a soft drink, showed her his planned route and took a bottle of water with him for the remainder of his journey."

That would be roughly half-way along the trail, and it is very close to the road at that point. Just about at the Agios Nicholaos. Also, there is something just south of there called "Steki - the knife" It is labeled as a coffee shop.

 

[GTB72]

I don't agree that that is correct. The article never says that he is meeting his travelling companion in Katapola. And even if it did, it wouldn't change his hiking route. I believe the hike goes to Chola and then continues on to Katapola. Hikers follow hiking trails. They don't walk along roads for 5 hours.
I may be wrong, but I don't think that that info changes my view.

ETA: If I was a hiker and I had a choice between 5 hours along a road and 5 hours along a hiking trail, I know which I would pick. Both routes are similar times.

I'll be honest here. If there is a pavement/sidewalk I'd rather walk that rather than a trail. But that's just me.

 

[otto]

He sounds sensible enough to be wearing footwear with a decent tread and possibly some ankle support. Previous hikers report some areas have rocks and gravel, but it's a very well traveled path.

Is there a way to triangulate a location of either of the phones?

My impression is that someone suffering from heatstroke is going to head for any kind of shade they can find, or think they are finding. He could have tried to climb underneath a ledge or rocks and not be seen from the air.

Two phones - was one a satellite phone? Have we seen any cell phone location data? Where did either of his phones last transmit?

There was no shade from the sun unless he went a few feet off trail. Did he look for shelter from the sun?

If he lay down under a ledge of rock near the trail, why hasn't he emerged, or made a phone call?

Did he go off trail on slippery rock to get a better view, or to find shade?

 

[GTB72]

BBM

As I understand it, a person with heatstroke can do just about anything. The brain essentially short-circuits. Because of the delirium, a person with heatstroke won't necessarily realize there's even anything wrong, or that their behaviour is at all strange.

Crikey. If that is correct that is scary.

 

[otto]

Crikey. If that is correct that is scary.

If heat stroke causes disorientation such that risks are taken without using cell phones, he could have taken the wrong trail, or taken the right trail and veered off to find shade.

Either way, it does not sound like he met the wrong person on the trail - although that is not ruled out. He may have experienced heat stroke and sought shade off trail, he may have left the trail to take a photo and slipped. Was he a photographer?

 

[Herat]

This is one of the photos on the All Trails site:

This looks to be the trailhead in Egiali. You can see they note both Chalara and Asphondilitis turn offs at 2 H. That is a trail that goes down the steep eastern side near the Agios Nicholaos church to the water at Chalara. It's marked on the map.

The area of Asphondilitis, where a road comes up to the trail and there is a little restaurant and church is within consideration of the place he was last sighted, 2 hours along the trail.

I think this implies that he went missing between this area, the Hozoviotissa Monastery and the Chora parking lot. This would include what appears to be the steepest and narrowest part of the trail. Along this part of the trail is a feature labeled as Smiley Caves. If he has made this hike many times before, I assume he has already explored this area and would not stop to do so on this hike. I also assume this would have been thoroughly searched by now.

Smiley Caves · VW5H+V4, Amorgos 840 08, Greece

★★★★★ · Tourist attraction

www.google.com

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/greece/amorgos/chora-hozoviotissa-monastery-egiali/photos

 

[Artis]

If heat stroke causes disorientation such that risks are taken without using cell phones, he could have taken the wrong trail, or taken the right trail and veered off to find shade.

Either way, it does not sound like he met the wrong person on the trail - although that is not ruled out. He may have experienced heat stroke and sought shade off trail, he may have left the trail to take a photo and slipped. Was he a photographer?

I've had it and it makes you drop, as in nearly fainting. I wasn't disoriented but felt like I was close to dying. Zero energy and, of course, extremely overheated.

 

[GTB72]

Dbm. Poster has already indicated upthread that they knew the gentleman was carrying two cell phones. Apologies.

 

[GTB72]

I've had it and it makes you drop, as in nearly fainting. I wasn't disoriented but felt like I was close to dying. Zero energy and, of course, extremely overheated.

Yes, and it was only the low 90's and you walked only a couple of miles if I remember what you said on another thread. Terrifying.

 

[Tintenbar]

Local authorities and island-specific officials are investigating all possibilities. In the case of the 59-year-old American on Amorgos, criminal activity cannot be ruled out, as stated by Hellenic Police spokesperson Konstantia Demoglou.



“When there is an electronic device, it is easier and quicker to locate the person. In some cases, it does not help us, such as in the case of Amorgos, where this person has not responded to phone calls from the police since the first moment,” Demoglou stated.



“Unfortunately, the mobile phone companies have given us a very large and inaccessible area to search for him. There is vegetation, there are gorges in that particular area. Criminal activity cannot be ruled out until we find the person and see what condition he is in, as happened with Symi. In the case of Amorgos, there was an immediate mobilisation, with assistance arriving from neighbouring islands. Search efforts are focused on the area’s trails, involving firefighters, volunteers, a police team from Ios, as well as the mayor and municipal councillors of the island.”

Rising concerns after two tourists dead and five missing in Greece amid heatwave - Neos Kosmos

 

[Tintenbar]

According to this post on the Samos Island Rescue Services Facebook page, the Dutch tourist was found in an inaccessible area outside the mapped hiking route. Log into Facebook

 

[nhmemorymaker]

BBM

As I understand it, a person with heatstroke can do just about anything. The brain essentially short-circuits. Because of the delirium, a person with heatstroke won't necessarily realize there's even anything wrong, or that their behaviour is at all strange.

And it can be so "simple", but come on and take over one's own controls.

I was playing tennis, for Pete's sake, not doing strenuous climbing or anything...
But was feeling quite competitive that day, so kept going.
I started feeling "out of it" suddenly but gradually if that makes sense...
People kept trying to give me water.... wasn't really helping
Everything in my head was staying "fuzzy"
Finally, someone gave me salt..... It was the missing salt that was causing the symptons.

Only sharing, because heatstroke can "bite" and manifest in a number of ways...
but when it does start to control the brain... anythihg can become the last straw.

 

[Tintenbar]

The second American missing in Mathraki was found dead in the sea near the ancient port of Kontrakas. https://www.efsyn.gr/ellada/koinonia/436794_kerkyra-nekros-brethike-o-amerikanos-toyristas-poy-agnooytan-sto-mathraki

 

[Tintenbar]

The 2 French tourists have still not been found. No one knows if they went hiking together or separately.

As he characteristically mentioned in the show "Studio with a view", one of the two visitors sent a photo from her mobile phone to the owner of the accommodation where she was staying, on Friday (14/06) in the morning, in which she appeared to have fallen to the ground, writing that "I have tripped, I have fallen, I do not feel well."

Άκαρπες οι έρευνες για τις δύο αγνοούμενες τουρίστριες στη Σίκινο - «Έχω παραπατήσει, δεν αισθάνομαι καλά», το τελευταίο μήνυμα

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Deadly Toll in Greece as Heat Waves Sweep the Country

Several foreigners have gone missing or been found dead after going out for walks in recent days as temperatures in Greece soar.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Tintenbar]

French tourists missing :

Ilias Gavanas, the person who last contacted the tourist, speaking to ANT1 said that, "she tried to contact me in the morning via Whats Up 5:50, I saw it 7:20 I called her back, I sent her a message, because apparently anyone who takes that time has any need, she never answered me and i managed to contact her by phone via whats up 8:20, unfortunately she didn't speak english, only french she was trying to explain to me what's going on and she sent me a picture of her that she's down ».

Afterwards, he added that, "I sent her a message to send me her location on google maps, she never replied and then unfortunately we realized that her phone was switched off, because the messages didn't go through".

ΣίκινοÏ: ÎοÏÏÏÏνεÏαι η αγÏνία για ÏÎ¹Ï 2 αγνοοÏÎ¼ÎµÎ½ÎµÏ ÏοÏÏίÏÏÏιεÏ, Ïι λÎει ο δήμαÏÏÎ¿Ï ÎαÏÎ¯Î»Î·Ï ÎαÏÎ¬ÎºÎ·Ï - Naxos Press

ΣίκινοÏ: ÎοÏÏÏÏνεÏαι η αγÏνία για ÏÎ¹Ï 2 αγνοοÏÎ¼ÎµÎ½ÎµÏ ÏοÏÏίÏÏÏÎ¹ÎµÏ â ÎαÏ. ÎαÏÎ¬ÎºÎ·Ï (δήμαÏÏÎ¿Ï Î£Î¹ÎºÎ¯Î½Î¿Ï): «Îεν είναι Ïλα Ïα μονοÏάÏια ÏαÏÏογÏαÏημÎνα» (video)

naxospress.gr

 

[Tintenbar]

An Israeli couple disappeared in the Vytina region, in the Peloponnese peninsula.