Found Deceased Spain - Esther Dingley, from UK, missing in the Pyrenees, November 2020 #2

[FrostOwl]

Esther Dingley, a British woman who have been travelling Europe for six years, is missing during a solo hike in the French Pyrenees. She was last heard from last Sunday when she last spoke to her partner from a mountain top.
UK woman who has travelled Europe for six years goes missing in Pyrenees

Thread #1

 

[kelsie]

The couple, who have been together for 18 years, hit the road in 2014 with their five dogs after Colegate almost died of an infection following surgery.

They regularly posted about their adventures on their blog, Esther and Dan, and seven days ago they were featured in a BBC article discussing how they swapped their careers and a permanent home for motoring through the mountains, valleys and coastlines of Europe.

Colegate said he had joined French police teams using helicopters and dogs in the search for Dingley. “She always tried to keep in touch but sometimes on her hikes was out of contact for a couple of days,” he said. “This is not looking good.”

 

[Sillybilly]

Please continue discussion here.

 

[Deleted member 277705]

ED seems to have had a sudden interest focussing her attention on Luchon in her last few days, conversing on 21st with Mr. Ballarin that she was heading there, posing 21st and 22nd atop Sauvegarde showing Luchon as a backdrop, mentioning Luchon in an Instagram post on 21st “Amazing views on the border of France and Spain. Overlooking pic Aneto and Spain's last glacier... bagneres luchon on the otherside!” - the post also has the remark “@dancolegate Maybe I can see you!!”. Why would she say that ? It's almost as if she thinks her B/F is in the valley below at Luchon.

 

[Deleted member 277705]

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Blimey! Poor Dan and Esther, they had no idea how involved SARs would be with them personally

 

[patCee]

French and Spanish police hunting for British hiker to meet to discuss next steps in Pyrenees search | Daily Mail Online

Another article in the DM but really just a repeat of previous articles. A reminder of the small area where DC believes she most likely went missing. An area that was searched intensively by the searchers.Also referring to the meeting between the Spanish and French authorities, some time this week, to discuss the situation.

 

[patCee]

They sound very caring for the missing person, and also aware of the need to be safe. It's hard to think she has just disappeared with no signs left showing where she is or had been.

 

[stmarysmead]

From Esther and Dans Videos on FB


05:18
Life is the adventure! Trust and all will work out. Ask for genuine help and you are not a
about 7 months ago · 541 views


Not sure how to post a video...but this video from Esther is interesting. It concerns a time she set off with no phone or money and got lost. She refers to another lost experience toward the end.

 

[Grouse]

- the post also has the remark “@dancolegate Maybe I can see you!!”. Why would she say that ? It's almost as if she thinks her B/F is in the valley below at Luchon.

My thought on reading that was it's simply because she's facing North towards where Dan is - Toulouse/Gers/Arreau (wherever - no one seems to know exactly but it's to the North) - kind of missing him and about to be reunited soon?

 

[10ofRods]

From Esther and Dans Videos on FB


05:18
Life is the adventure! Trust and all will work out. Ask for genuine help and you are not a
about 7 months ago · 541 views


Not sure how to post a video...but this video from Esther is interesting. It concerns a time she set off with no phone or money and got lost. She refers to another lost experience toward the end.

Wow. So I wonder if this is a big reason why LE thinks she is voluntarily missing.

 

[RedHaus]

From Esther and Dans Videos on FB, 05:18, Life is the adventure! Trust and all will work out. Ask for genuine help and you are not a, about 7 months ago · 541 views, Not sure how to post a video...but this video from Esther is interesting. It concerns a time she set off with no phone or money and got lost. She refers to another lost experience toward the end.

stmarysmead, I think this is the FB posting (with video) you are referring to? Log into Facebook

 

[Deleted member 277705]

My thought on reading that was it's simply because she's facing North towards where Dan is - Toulouse/Gers/Arreau (wherever - no one seems to know exactly but it's to the North) - kind of missing him and about to be reunited soon?

"Maybe I can see you!!" - More likely to be said by a person when the other person's location is within sight. How many other mountain tops had she been on when she used this expression ? Doesn't make sense otherwise, unless the location is within the horizon. Interesting that you mention Arreau. It is only about a 40mins, 20 mile journey by car from Luchon.

 

[Puzzles]

They sound very caring for the missing person, and also aware of the need to be safe. It's hard to think she has just disappeared with no signs left showing where she is or had been.

I don't know where to learn how to quote from previous posts. Thank you if you can guide me. (Edited to add I managed to post the quote above.)
I find this video disturbingly prescient.

 

[patCee]

Wow. So I wonder if this is a big reason why LE thinks she is voluntarily missing.

Yes, her need to challenge herself, "even if I'm scared" and the seeming ambivalence she had expressed about returning to her 'normal' life.
I find it hard to believe she would just let DC and her family worry though. If she wanted a different life I think she would be honest about it.

 

[Deleted member 277705]

My feeling is that Luchon holds the key and that there was somebody there – or on their way there – that ED was keen to meet up with. We know that LE have cleared her B/F, so who else could it be ? My original thought on this matter was that her mention of a kind male hiker on the 19th, prompted the B/F to visit her, but it is back to the drawing board on that one. Still puzzling though over her Instagram pictures of the 21-22 Nov, with ED (and her walking poles propped against a boulder), all showing Luchon in the background, accompanied with the words : “Maybe I can see you!!”.

 

[Sjm_qc]

Marking my spot.

One of the things that occurs to me regarding the apparent confusion/ contradiction whether LE (and by extension Esther’s family) think Esther had an accident in the mountains somewhere or isn’t up there, may be because we have 2 entirely different sets of authorities in 2 different countries.

I.e.: The French gendarmerie who searched their side and were quoted early on as saying they didn’t think she made it to the the French side of the border;

AND

the Spanish guardia civil who apparently aren’t as chatty as the French but who were quoted ~2nd December as saying they felt bitter/upset that they hadn’t been able to find her before the bad weather stopped the searches. They also appeared to imply that they think an accident is most likely & that she’s up there somewhere.

IMO, speculation, etc: these reports have been somewhat conflated and have turned into “she’s not on the mountain” at all, especially as it’s only the French who are talking to media at the moment.

ETA: I have no idea what’s up with the formatting of half my post into italics.

 

[patCee]

Marking my spot.

One of the things that occurs to me regarding the apparent confusion/ contradiction whether LE (and by extension Esther’s family) think Esther had an accident in the mountains somewhere or isn’t up there, may be because we have 2 entirely different sets of authorities in 2 different countries.

I.e.: The French gendarmerie who searched their side and were quoted early on as saying they didn’t think she made it to the the French side of the border;

AND

the Spanish guardia civil who apparently aren’t as chatty as the French but who were quoted ~2nd December as saying they felt bitter/upset that they hadn’t been able to find her before the bad weather stopped the searches. They also appeared to imply that they think an accident is most likely & that she’s up there somewhere.

IMO, speculation, etc: these reports have been somewhat conflated and have turned into “she’s not on the mountain” at all, especially as it’s only the French who are talking to media at the moment.

ETA: I have no idea what’s up with the formatting of half my post into italics.

I think you can add to that DC's view that an accident is less likely due to her extensive experience; her friend's comment that as she is extremely strong and fit, unlikely to fall; the aunt's view that she may have been kidnapped.

ETA: Pressing the italic button above the post works to get rid.

 

[Kaykedi]

Esther is so sweet. Heartbreaking to think of anything happening to her. Where are you Esther??

 

[ZaZara]

Marking my spot.

One of the things that occurs to me regarding the apparent confusion/ contradiction whether LE (and by extension Esther’s family) think Esther had an accident in the mountains somewhere or isn’t up there, may be because we have 2 entirely different sets of authorities in 2 different countries.

I.e.: The French gendarmerie who searched their side and were quoted early on as saying they didn’t think she made it to the the French side of the border;

AND

the Spanish guardia civil who apparently aren’t as chatty as the French but who were quoted ~2nd December as saying they felt bitter/upset that they hadn’t been able to find her before the bad weather stopped the searches. They also appeared to imply that they think an accident is most likely & that she’s up there somewhere.

IMO, speculation, etc: these reports have been somewhat conflated and have turned into “she’s not on the mountain” at all, especially as it’s only the French who are talking to media at the moment.

ETA: I have no idea what’s up with the formatting of half my post into italics.

Practicalities first: if you happen to use the I-button (for Italics) on top of your post, this sometimes sticks to the rest of the text as well. Check, double check, cheack again, swear and start over. This usually works for me.

IMO this she is not in the mountains stems from the start of the searches when initially the SAR were looking for a living person who either had got lost, or could not continue due to for instance a sprained ankle. This would be based on her profile as an experienced hiker with specific gear, the point of last contact and the route she planned to take. It is of course different if Esther herself would have raised the alarm, but she was reported missing by someone who was hundreds of kms away.

When the French say they don't think Esther made it to the French side of the border, they either have info they don't want to share, or they are saving themselves a lot of work. Or both.