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

[Puzzles]

BBM

I want to take the angry facebook woman who was "asked for food" with a grain of salt. Is there a photo of Esther wearing shorts on a mountain hike? I haven't seen any. The woman claims that a woman who looks like Esther was hiking mountains in shorts and bothering others for food. It doesn't seem credible.

What I'm saying is that the Dec 2020 food-ask remark is a month after people are worried about Esther's disappearance in the Pyrenees on Nov 22. It seems like a fake ransom note.

Hi Otto, just for clarification, the French woman doesn't claim she spoke with a woman who merely 'looks like Esther...' I can't write what she said exactly, as that may cause deletion of this post.

 

[RickshawFan]

I surmise that the French word “short” is yoga shorts, not hiking shorts.
It would be a very bad idea to be hiking in yoga shorts (same with yoga tights). The risk of ripping them out while tripping or falling or even scraping against those rocks with cables, and becoming hypothermic is very high.
For women who like to wear leggings, there are hiking leggings with reinforced and abrasion-resistant butts and thighs, and knees. They are quite a bit thicker than yoga leggings.
In october, an experienced person would also be carrying long under wear bottoms (synthetic or wool) as well as rain gear tops and bottoms. The latter are considered essential pieces of equipment in every season: they not only keep you dry, but they keep the wind off (a key hypothermia factor), and, since they retain heat, you can put them on to warm up. I’ve had to sleep in mine more than once.

 

[otto]

I thought it was made up by the french woman at first too, but there is an instagram photo taken by someone, of Esther wearing black shorts, dated around 7th November, and she is walking uphill holding a dog by it's lead (not one of her own dogs). Esther says it is from a solo trip she did in a national park the week before, so I'm now thinking this is where she might have met the french woman.

Please post the photo of Esther hiking the Pyrenees in shorts.

Lots of gossip about a photo for weeks, so where is the photo of Esther in shorts around October 31 2020?

 

[otto]

BBM


Hi Otto, just for clarification, the French woman doesn't claim she spoke with a woman who merely 'looks like Esther...' I can't write what she said exactly, as that may cause deletion of this post.

Where are the photos of the woman and Esther (in shorts) in October or early November hiking the Pyrenees?

 

[otto]

I surmise that the French word “short” is yoga shorts, not hiking shorts.
It would be a very bad idea to be hiking in yoga shorts (same with yoga tights). The risk of ripping them out while tripping or falling or even scraping against those rocks with cables, and becoming hypothermic is very high.
For women who like to wear leggings, there are hiking leggings with reinforced and abrasion-resistant butts and thighs, and knees. They are quite a bit thicker than yoga leggings.
In october, an experienced person would also be carrying long under wear bottoms (synthetic or wool) as well as rain gear tops and bottoms. The latter are considered essential pieces of equipment in every season: they not only keep you dry, but they keep the wind off (a key hypothermia factor), and, since they retain heat, you can put them on to warm up. I’ve had to sleep in mine more than once.

Regardless, the description is that she was wearing shorts, perhaps lululemon, but shorts.

What exactly is the story from the facebook woman? Does she have photos of a location that correspond with Esther's hikes, dates and trails?

It seems really weird that a month after Esther's mountain disappearance, a facebook freak comes forward to mouth off about Esther asking for food. I don't believe it.

 

[Zoomy]

Login • Instagram
@otto Scroll along, it's the third to last photo.
I also don't think we're allowed to post IG here <modsnip>

 

[Sarahlou]

Login • Instagram
@otto Scroll along, it's the third to last photo.
I also don't think we're allowed to post IG here<modsnip>

It's fine to post links to a missing person's social media page.

 

[Sillybilly]

Missing Brit hiker Esther Dingley 'was last seen by woman who gave her food'

As this has now been reported on MSM (even if it is The Sun), I guess it means we are allowed to discuss this sighting of Esther mentioned on Esther & Dan's facebook by French woman MB. I think the Sun have got it wrong by saying it was hours before she was last seen though, as MB had said it was October 31st when she saw Esther.

Members may discuss the MSM article but are still not allowed to sleuth MB's social media.

Also, a reminder to use initials for individuals who are neither victim or a POI/suspect.

 

[fridaybaker]

Regardless, the description is that she was wearing shorts, perhaps lululemon, but shorts.

What exactly is the story from the facebook woman? Does she have photos of a location that correspond with Esther's hikes, dates and trails?

It seems really weird that a month after Esther's mountain disappearance, a facebook freak comes forward to mouth off about Esther asking for food. I don't believe it.

Agreed. This has a totally different feel than the Olympian who immediately came forward with his contact with ED.

 

[ChiCubs2016]

I'm curious whether Esther's determination to achieve greater solo heights left her with blinders on intuition about her limits - just a question after reading their books and about their lives.

I just started with ED’s thread a few days ago. I read her Instagram and FB post and I have been wondering the same. Was she trying to challenge herself or impress Dan? I am actually leaning towards the latter and if so did she push herself too hard and take risk? MOO

 

[Irishwebsleuth]

Why is there no appeal to the public in the uk to organize a massive huge search , I know we are in the middle of a pandemic but finding a missing English woman is definitely essential travel so nobody would be breaking the rules ,, and I know for a fact there’s plenty of people in the uk who would be happy to assist in finding Esther , I know it might sound like finding a needle in a haystack because she was hiking on the Pyrenees, but she went missing in a very specific location on the Pyrenees ,, how could you sleep at night knowing a loved one’s freezing cold lifeless body is somewhere on a mountain , the partner used social media to sell books why not use it to appeal to the public to help him find his partner of 19 years ,,, it’s like she is literally been forgotten about ,, if anyone remembers the huge public assistance in rescuing the missing Thai boys in the cave that showed me humans will go to extraordinary efforts to help each other and there’s definitely hundreds of people who would help find this beautiful young lady , with the machinery and technology we have today it wouldn’t be too difficult if the right people were involved

 

[Hexe]

Why is there no appeal to the public in the uk to organize a massive huge search , I know we are in the middle of a pandemic but finding a missing English woman is definitely essential travel so nobody would be breaking the rules ,, and I know for a fact there’s plenty of people in the uk who would be happy to assist in finding Esther

There is now a thick, thick snow cover in the Pyrenees, so search would be pointless, as Esther went missing before the snowfall so any clues, and maybe Esther's body, are now hidden from view. We should also remember it's a very rough terrain in high mountains. The last thing any SAR services would want there is a swarm of amateurs, that would have to be rescued themselves.

 

[Lucy6226]

Why is there no appeal to the public in the uk to organize a massive huge search , I know we are in the middle of a pandemic but finding a missing English woman is definitely essential travel so nobody would be breaking the rules ,, and I know for a fact there’s plenty of people in the uk who would be happy to assist in finding Esther , I know it might sound like finding a needle in a haystack because she was hiking on the Pyrenees, but she went missing in a very specific location on the Pyrenees ,, how could you sleep at night knowing a loved one’s freezing cold lifeless body is somewhere on a mountain , the partner used social media to sell books why not use it to appeal to the public to help him find his partner of 19 years ,,, it’s like she is literally been forgotten about ,, if anyone remembers the huge public assistance in rescuing the missing Thai boys in the cave that showed me humans will go to extraordinary efforts to help each other and there’s definitely hundreds of people who would help find this beautiful young lady , with the machinery and technology we have today it wouldn’t be too difficult if the right people were involved

The heavy snowfall is an issue at the moment, which is why the search has been called off until spring

 

[Vaccine]

Why is there no appeal to the public in the uk to organize a massive huge search , I know we are in the middle of a pandemic but finding a missing English woman is definitely essential travel so nobody would be breaking the rules ,, and I know for a fact there’s plenty of people in the uk who would be happy to assist in finding Esther , I know it might sound like finding a needle in a haystack because she was hiking on the Pyrenees, but she went missing in a very specific location on the Pyrenees ,, how could you sleep at night knowing a loved one’s freezing cold lifeless body is somewhere on a mountain , the partner used social media to sell books why not use it to appeal to the public to help him find his partner of 19 years ,,, it’s like she is literally been forgotten about ,, if anyone remembers the huge public assistance in rescuing the missing Thai boys in the cave that showed me humans will go to extraordinary efforts to help each other and there’s definitely hundreds of people who would help find this beautiful young lady , with the machinery and technology we have today it wouldn’t be too difficult if the right people were involved

I find this suggestion pretty odd. I have followed this case since the beginning as I had coincidentally read the BBC blog about their travels a week before Esther disappeared. I live in London. I wouldn’t dream of trying to go to search for her. We have a national lockdown, which prohibits unnecessary travel. Flights are limited and we would have to quarantine after returning from the Pyrenees. How would in-expert sleuths search the mountains in snow in the middle of winter? How daft would that be - UK searchers getting lost or stuck in snow in the mountains?

 

[Quietey]

Why is there no appeal to the public in the uk to organize a massive huge search , I know we are in the middle of a pandemic but finding a missing English woman is definitely essential travel so nobody would be breaking the rules ,, and I know for a fact there’s plenty of people in the uk who would be happy to assist in finding Esther , I know it might sound like finding a needle in a haystack because she was hiking on the Pyrenees, but she went missing in a very specific location on the Pyrenees ,, how could you sleep at night knowing a loved one’s freezing cold lifeless body is somewhere on a mountain , the partner used social media to sell books why not use it to appeal to the public to help him find his partner of 19 years ,,, it’s like she is literally been forgotten about ,, if anyone remembers the huge public assistance in rescuing the missing Thai boys in the cave that showed me humans will go to extraordinary efforts to help each other and there’s definitely hundreds of people who would help find this beautiful young lady , with the machinery and technology we have today it wouldn’t be too difficult if the right people were involved

Welcome Irishwebsleuth!

I agree - there seems to be dishearteningly little activity going on (as far as we can see, anyway). While it clearly wouldn't be practical to have people actually on the ground in the area, for reasons mentioned by others, I know what you mean that there don't seem to be any offers of resources eg drones. Or even any publicity. Maybe it really is a case of there is just nothing that can be done, or maybe things are being done that we don't know about.

Regarding hearing nothing from DC: I seem to remember that he was advised not to make comments to the press (please someone correct me if I am wrong) so maybe he has been advised not to publicise? I don't think you are a troll at all, I think that the story has touched you as it has so many of us. And I think that you referred to Esther as an "English" woman is because you are Irish - again correct me if I'm wrong!

 

[Irishwebsleuth]

Hi guys I emphasized the fact that she is English because it would justify English people traveling to Spain or France during a lockdown , “I wouldn’t dream of trying to go to search for her” ,,, well just because you wouldn’t it does not mean other people wouldn’t if there was a solid mission in place , I didn’t say get inexpert websleuths to help find her ,, the UK is full with highly trained and extremely competent professionals who always go above and beyond to help other people , I am not a troll I’ve been following Esthers disappearance every day for the last 2 months and I genuinely feel that something could be done to help find Esther’s body , I will never forget as long as I live the enormous efforts people from all around the world made to rescue the Thai boys in the cave that showed me the extraordinarily lengths people will go to help in a crisis situation and I am not seeing the same here !! I was reading a case on here of an American woman who went missing in Scotland and only for the fact her friend in America travelled to Scotland and organized a search party she would not have been found as soon as she was , this could be the same situation here . It seems here the best solution they have come up with is wait five years for the snow to melt ,, wait five years ?? With the technology we have the snow could be easily melted in segments as they are searching , she went missing in a very specific place so it’s not out of the realms of possibilities. Why is this a criminal investigation ?

 

[azure]

Hi guys I emphasized the fact that she is English because it would justify English people traveling to Spain or France during a lockdown , “I wouldn’t dream of trying to go to search for her” ,,, well just because you wouldn’t it does not mean other people wouldn’t if there was a solid mission in place , I didn’t say get inexpert websleuths to help find her ,, the UK is full with highly trained and extremely competent professionals who always go above and beyond to help other people , I am not a troll I’ve been following Esthers disappearance every day for the last 2 months and I genuinely feel that something could be done to help find Esther’s body , I will never forget as long as I live the enormous efforts people from all around the world made to rescue the Thai boys in the cave that showed me the extraordinarily lengths people will go to help in a crisis situation and I am not seeing the same here !! I was reading a case on here of an American woman who went missing in Scotland and only for the fact her friend in America travelled to Scotland and organized a search party she would not have been found as soon as she was , this could be the same situation here . It seems here the best solution they have come up with is wait five years for the snow to melt ,, wait five years ?? With the technology we have the snow could be easily melted in segments as they are searching , she went missing in a very specific place so it’s not out of the realms of possibilities. Why is this a criminal investigation ?

It's not a criminal investigation because it's 98% certain she became lost and perished while hiking.

Searchers aren't traveling from the UK because the UK is under lockdown and both countries Esther was traveling in have more than enough trained SAR to do the job. The area is buried under snow and at this point no highly-skilled searcher with cadaver dogs could find her, much less a troop of random people from the UK. Esther went missing in a vast area and if she's recovered, it will likely be by a hiker who comes upon her once the snow melts.

IMO JMO.

 

[Irishwebsleuth]

How deep snow are we talking ?

 

[azure]

How deep snow are we talking ?

Here's historical snow depths for Luchon, where Esther took one of her last photos.

Luchon - Superbagnères Snow Depth History

For the past two years, snow depth has been relatively low in January, but in 2018, they had over 50cm in Jan.

 

[Irishwebsleuth]

That could be easily melted in segments as they go so I don’t understand the comments saying they are going to wait 5 years for it to melt