Greece Greece - French female tourist, 73, Sikinos, 14 Jun 2024

[Herat]

This sounds like a rehash of the prior articles, but it is a European source.

The owner of the lodging says he could not understand Francoise on the phone when he returned the call about 8:30 am. He asked her for the GPS and she sent a selfie of her lying down in some bushes. There was no further response from her phone. This was probably about 24 hours after the two missing women had set off on the hike.

The article indicated the Greek authorities are using " Firemen, police, dogs, drones" in the search

https://euro.dayfr.com/world/2325215.htm

 

[FoxxTraxx]

The article indicated the Greek authorities are using " Firemen, police, dogs, drones" in the search

If they had been hiking for a couple of hours it will be difficult to narrow down a search area. They could be anywhere, and my gut feeling is most visitors to Sikinos are not there to hike.

 

[Herat]

If they had been hiking for a couple of hours it will be difficult to narrow down a search area. They could be anywhere, and my gut feeling is most visitors to Sikinos are not there to hike.

It looks like hiking on Sikinos is one of the few activities other than hanging out on the beaches. There are two villages to stay in, Alopronoia which has the harbor and the ferry docks, and Sikinos Chora /Kastro up at 1600 ft elevation where most people live. It appears there are most accommodations down at the Alopronoia harbor area with lovely waterviews and idyllic lodgings, so I would assume both ladies were staying in this area and hiking from there. Unfortunately, the majority of hikes that start from this area require hiking up to the 1600 ft level to cross to the historical churches and Roman ruins, and only a small number of hikes appear to stay at low level. If they were both staying in Sikinos Chora then there are actually more hikes, but unless they really planned it carefully, they can end up on one of the hikes that requires significan elevation changes. In the comments of their lodging owner, it wasn't clear to me which village they were staying in.

Certainly, in that heat there really would be few other hikers to encounter the women so, yes, there would not really by anyone to have come across them on the trail so unless one of them left written information, it's unclear which area they might be in. It's certainly possible they decided to do one of the less strenuous hikes nearer to the shoreline.

All trails shows some trail signs, but there don't appear to be the kind of route markers that would delineate the correct path to be on.

 

[RickshawFan]

Yes, very interesting they had been in Greece for probably 6 weeks already.

The temps had been very pleasant for about a month with June starting out with highs in the low 80'sF and then a quick spike to near 100 on June 5, then back down to the high 80's until the 4 day spread from June 10 to June 14 when the high's dropped back down to the comfortable 80's, where they are now. ( I used temps on the adjacent island of Naxos on the graph, below)

Agios Arsenios, Greece Weather History | Weather Underground

You would think they already had ample hikes in 80F conditions under their belts and could have easily skipped a hike for a couple of days until it cooled down. Perhaps they had just arrived on Sikinos and wanted to get an idea of the lay of the land with a hike and felt confident in their abilities. Or didn't really think it would be that hot. Or maybe they left in the evening when it cooled down a bit. I am puzzled by the text arriving at the hotel at 5:50 am. It would imply they were both out overnight and the 74 year old had just regained consciousness enough to find her phone and use it. Her selfie is her lying on some brush with the phone above her, implying she is not able to get up to a sitting position to photograph the trail or surroundings. That does sound like what could happen with a badly injured leg and heat stroke on top of it. I don't find any note of a timestamp noted on the photo, and it is in daylight, although it looks more midday than sunrise.

I hope they are found tonight or tomorrow, as it's now about 8pm there and there is no new news from today's activities.

IMO a hike even at those "lower" temps would be problematic. I wouldn't do it. It isn't just about the temperature: the rocky, desolate, ground radiates heat. Coupled with the age of the hikers, there's a catastrophe waiting to happen.

Best thing in Greece: forget the hikes! Summer is just way too hot. You don't want to even visit ruins during the hot time of the day. All those temples sit out in the baking hot sun. Hot rocks!
Instead: 2 hours for lunch at a taverna; 3 hours for dinner at a taverna. That was pretty much the pattern when I was at the American School for Classical Studies (the American headquarters for US excavations, and very elite; NOT a local high school!) for the summer back in the day. We went to ruins every day all over Greece, but had long hangouts at tavernas. Ruins were hellish hot.

 

[RickshawFan]

Thanks to poster Tintenbar for this Greek language news article about the two women.

Interesting to me is that the two women met for the first time in Sikinos, although their arrival date isn't noted.

The niece of the 64 year old woman, Marie Pierre Arfel, says the two women went hiking Friday morning. She has heard nothing from her since. It was 73 year old Francois Boutteaux that sent the text that she had fallen and was ill.

The niece contacted the French authorities who had the French consulate in Athens send the family the contact detail for the Greek authorities. (So France did not send an independent team. Just as the US did not send an independent team, which has the GF and brother of Eric Albert Calbet, missing on Amargos, very upset)

(Apologies if this is actually the same article as above)

Εξαφάνιση 64χρονης Γαλλίδας στη Σίκινο: Συγγενείς της έρχονται στην Ελλάδα για να βοηθήσουν στις έρευνες | LiFO

Η ανιψιά της 64χρονης Μαρί Πιέρ Αρφέλ δήλωσε πως δεν έχει νέα από την θεία της από την Παρασκευή 14 Ιουνίου

www.lifo.gr

There are millions of tourists in Greece and other places, and people get upset that special teams aren't sent out? To do special rescues? For a vacationer? On an island in the middle of nowhere? I always get surprised at this world view, and it's getting to be quite common, I guess.
The only kinds of situations I've heard of where SAR teams muster to go abroad is after a natural disaster like an earthquake. Those are also very specialized teams, with very specialized equipment. Even their dogs are specialized.

 

[RickshawFan]

Here is a travel guide blog for Greece and the Greek Islands, with it's introductory page about Sikinos.

It really sounds wonderful if you want a very quiet, very private small place to visit and don't need lots of activities or nightlife. It does sound idyllic in many ways.

Matt Barrett's Guide to Sifnos, Greece

Helpful Guide to one of Greece's most beautiful islands, famous for its cuisine, pottery, and some of the most beautiful beaches in Greece

www.greektravel.com

Ooohhhh. I wanna go to Siphnos.

 

[Herat]

Ooohhhh. I wanna go to Siphnos.

If you love the look of Siphnos, you'll flip over Sikinos.

Apology: I accidentally posted the Guide to Siphnos, not Sikinos in my other post.

Here are the wonderful details on tiny Sikinos

Matt Barrett's Sikinos Guide

Sikinos is probably the least known and the least visited island in the Cyclades, at least the inhabited ones.

www.greektravel.com

 

[Herat]

Thank you, again, to @Tintenbar for finding this French news piece about the missing French women.

Family members of both missing women made comments. The article says they went missing on June 12, but all other accounts give the date as Friday June 14. The family was able to access 64-year old Marie-Pierre Apfel's ( MPA's) cloud and they indicate "someone had been in her documents at 4:30pm on the day they disappeared, Friday June 14. There are some other irregularities. Her family said she was a very experienced traveler, very sporty is how they describe her. I would interpret that as someone who regularly hikes and is in good shape. From the one photo, she seems younger than her age in the face, and or normal to slightly plump build.

MPA met the 73 year old Francoise Boutteaux ( FB) in Sikinos where they were staying near each other. The article also notes more confusion with the guest lodging owner who returned the call to FB on June 15 about 8:30am. It states there was language confusion because the hotelier only speaks Greek and English while Francoise speaks French. However, her family notes she does speak and understand English adequately. I would put the confusion down to progressing heatstroke dementia. From the Sikinos Travel website that the proprietor, Ilias Gavanos, runs, I would believe he speaks English fluently and is a very smart, modern, industrious and organized businessman, not a local craftsman with a spare room.

It would so very very helpful if someone was able to access the phone or cloud data of FB. The photo she sent does appear to be consistent with mid-morning near the summer solstice. She is wearing a white cap, and a sleeveless grayish top, but has what looks like a mid-blue shirt loosely tied around her shoulders. It would indicate to me that she was very hot when she fell as she had taken the shirt off, but was not able to get it back on during the cooler night. I'm not sure if she is partially sitting up or lying down in the photo, but I would favor lying down.

Anyway, the families express concern that the French authorities aren't very involved. There are family members of both women on Sikinos now.

And I still can't find which village both women were staying at before departing on their hike. it's curious that MPA's family does not mention any downloads of trail maps or other associated research done on her phone prior to the trip.

 

[Herat]

Sorry, forgot to post the article.

Touristes françaises disparues en Grèce: leurs proches appellent à "faire le nécessaire" pour les retrouver

Marie-Pierre Arfel, 64 ans, et Françoise Boutteaux, 73 ans, ont disparu le 12 juin, alors qu'elles faisaient de la randonnée sur une île grecque dans les Cyclades. Leurs proches refusent la thèse de l'accident.

www.bfmtv.com

 

[Herat]

There are millions of tourists in Greece and other places, and people get upset that special teams aren't sent out? To do special rescues? For a vacationer? On an island in the middle of nowhere? I always get surprised at this world view, and it's getting to be quite common, I guess.
The only kinds of situations I've heard of where SAR teams muster to go abroad is after a natural disaster like an earthquake. Those are also very specialized teams, with very specialized equipment. Even their dogs are specialized.

I agree. Some recognition that you are always responsible for your own safety, especially in a foreign country where you cannot speak or read the language, where you may not be in top shape, and where the risks really need to be considered seriously, not as if you were in your own backyard. You are also implicitly involving your family and friends in horrifically difficult situations for them if you disappear.

Sadly, I forsee more of these disappearances in the heat this summer and in the future.

We don't generally read about locals getting lost or in heatstroke conditions, possibly because it is a well-recognized complication of life there.

 

[Herat]

Thanks to @Rikissa on the Eric Calibet- Amorgos Island thread for the clarification about the EU Emergency Alert system:

'Regardless where you are in Europe the emergency number is 112, and it has been so since 1991. As far as I can remember, there has always been an "Emergency call button" on the start screen on every mobile I have had, you don't even have to log in to make the call. As far as I know the call goes to the closest emergency call centre."

Despite FB being able to contact her guest lodging owner, we haven't heard from anyone that she was trying to or was able to use the Emergency Call button on her phone or use 112.

And, sadly, we have not heard that her hiking companion MPA made any distress calls. I think I read pages back that MPA didn't take her phone with her. Hmm. May need to see if I can find that information again.

It's evening again on Sikinos and the search may be over for June 22. I truly hope FB and MPA can be found on June 23.

 

[Herat]

Disastrous heat waves are occuring earlier and earlier.

This week in Athens Greek temperatures are back up to the high-90's and numerous fires have been breaking out, several on the Greek islands. The high temps on Naxos Island ( closest station I can get to Sikinos) however, remain in the 80's, but the humidity is high (71% at 9 pm) so it will be a stress on searchers.

The Hajj in Mecca Saudi Arabia is experiencing blistering 100+ heat and there are hundreds of deaths reported. The total is more likely thousands, but the government doesn't want that known. Many of those are Egyptian pilgrims of modest means who went outside the official Hajj organization, which is very expensive, and signed onto cheap, under-the-radar tours that provide only un-airconditioned tents and little support services, while the official pilgrims have air-conditioned tents and abundant food and beverages. Fulfilling the tasks of the Hajj requires a great deal of walking and is physically very tasking so the increased heat is just intolerable for those not in A/C conditions. Most of the pilgrims are older and subject to the diseases of older age that make heat stroke a huge risk.

In addition, Northern India is experiencing brutal heatwaves reaching 50C ( 122F ). This has been going on for more than a week and it is early in the summer.

https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/india-delhi-heatwave-homeless-climate-b2559927.html

Its almost 9 pm on Sikinos now.

9th Day of the Search is closing, without finding any traces of the two missing women.

 

[Herat]

No end to the lovely travelogues about Sikinos.

This one is interesting because it gives a brief description of a short hike from the coastal town of Alopronia to a beautiful nearby beach. Even though it is short, it is described as rugged and there appears to be hill or two that have to be climbed. Assuming the two women were staying in Alopronia, this would be one of the hikes I would have imagined them taking, knowing it was going to be really hot day.

Dialiskari Beach is the one closest to Alopronia, and although it can be reached by a rugged dirt road, there is also a hiking trail.

Beaches of Sikinos island

Sikinos offers fantastic crystal clear blue waters, relaxing atmosphere, quiet beaches and a wild natural landscape. You can reach the 3 main beaches by car.

sikinostravel.com

In Photos: Five Days Exploring Sikinos, Greece

Sikinos is one of the most ruggedly beautiful islands in the Cyclades. It lies in the southern part of the group, wedged between Folegandros

internationalliving.com

 

[Herat]

10th Day of the Search is closing

I hope Francoise and Marie-Pierre will be found tomorrow.

 

[Herat]

This is a 3-day old article, not new, and is clearly translated, but it has the interesting comments from friends and family about how risk-adverse both the women were.

In addition, it says that Francoise tried "multiple times" to reach the hotelier on her phone. Seems obvious but I hadn't read that before. It does not say when the first attempt was to make contact. I'd guess soon after she fell.

As they dont have the phone and Greek law won't let them into the phone data, no one has mentioned if or when there were any 112 or other calls made.

Day 11 closes without any trace of the missing two women.

I hope Francoise and Marie-Pierre will be found tomorrow.

2024 - “The accident seems improbable”, their loved ones make a shock decision

While two French tourists, Françoise Boutteaux and Marie-Pierre Arfel, have disappeared in Greece since June 14, their loved ones have decided to speak out

gettotext.com

 

[Herat]

This sun is up in Sikinos for Day 12 of the search.

I hope they are found today.

 

[StillDiggin]

A recent French article, not translated it yet.

À Cogolin, inquiétude et questions après la disparition en Grèce de Marie-Pierre Arfel - France Bleu

Quinze jours après la disparition de Marie-Pierre Arfel, sur l’île de Sikinos en Grèce, les proches de cette préparatrice en pharmacie de Cogolin (Var) se posent énormément de questions.

www.francebleu.fr

 

[FoxxTraxx]

A recent French article, not translated it yet.

inconsistencies highlighted by the investigation: the two women left their respective homes in the early morning of Wednesday, June 12, but the owners only raised the alarm on Saturday, June 15 for Marie-Pierre Arfel's and on Friday, June 14 in the evening for Françoise Boutteaux's.

It's good the missing women are getting some recognition. So they are saying the women were gone 2-3 days before anyone noticed, which is an inconsistency noted before. At this point though, they've been missing about 2 weeks!

 

[Herat]

inconsistencies highlighted by the investigation: the two women left their respective homes in the early morning of Wednesday, June 12, but the owners only raised the alarm on Saturday, June 15 for Marie-Pierre Arfel's and on Friday, June 14 in the evening for Françoise Boutteaux's.

It's good the missing women are getting some recognition. So they are saying the women were gone 2-3 days before anyone noticed, which is an inconsistency noted before. At this point though, they've been missing about 2 weeks!

Good catch about the inconsistencies in reporting.

The first reports of the missing two French women are vague, and are only really a footnote to the combined, bigger news story of the multiple deaths of Dr. Mosely, the death of the Dutch tourist, the death of the younger American tourist, and the missing American LEO. The very first reports I can find do not actually specify when FB and MPA departed,

The first Greek news report on the internet says the hotelier, Ilias Gavanos RECEIVEVED the phone call on Friday (which would have been June 14). Other reports say they "went missing" on June 14.

So the term "went missing" is likely when the call was received, not the day they departed. It makes more sense that they started on their hike Thursday, June 13, not Wednesday June 12. That date is overshadowed in the English-written press because it is the same day that the American Eric Calibet went on his hike and was also reported missing by his travel friend.

From the weather information for Paros Island, the nearest weather station to Sikinos, the temps hit 104 F / 40C on June 13.

 

[Herat]

Several interesting paragraphs taken from the English translation of the French article posted above by StillDiggin.
The confirm the apparent day of the hike was Wednesday and

MPA consulted websites and traced the route of the walk planned for Wednesday.

So authorities know the route the two women intended to take on Wednesday June 13, and MPA took photos of her bag, her provisions, and the route. It seems like a prudent thing to do hazarding if something happened to her. The family does clearly have some concerns over the tardy action of the hotelier and questions if someone was able to hack into her phone the day she disappeared. !!!

"But since Tuesday evening, June 12, no member of her family or friends have received a message. Marie-Pierre Arfel and Françoise Boutteaux, a 73-year-old resident of Reims , whom she met on the island of Sikinos in the Cyclades, went hiking on Wednesday morning, June 12 . CCTV footage shows them together in the village. Since then, nothing. The two women have seemingly vanished into thin air"

""Mapi (the nickname of Marie-Pierre Arfel, Editor's note) was a seasoned and careful traveler" continues the young woman, who does not believe in the theory of an accident during a hike. Laurie Delmas scrolls through the latest photos and screenshots taken by her friend in Greece on her cell phone: "She had prepared her hike since she had consulted websites and traced the route of the walk planned for Wednesday. The authorities Greeks say it was a heatwave, but that's not true... It was 28 degrees that day, an ideal temperature for Marie-Pierre, and having already gone on walks with her, she planned everything: her bag was still there. like that of Mary Poppins, with cereal bars, drinks and of course a first aid kit."
"Another mysterious element: Marie-Pierre Arfel's "cloud" was consulted on the same Friday, June 14, in the middle of the afternoon. Several documents were opened from the sixty-year-old's mobile phone. "However, you needed the code to open your phone," her friends say, perplexed."

A recent French article, not translated it yet.

À Cogolin, inquiétude et questions après la disparition en Grèce de Marie-Pierre Arfel - France Bleu

Quinze jours après la disparition de Marie-Pierre Arfel, sur l’île de Sikinos en Grèce, les proches de cette préparatrice en pharmacie de Cogolin (Var) se posent énormément de questions.

www.francebleu.fr