SAR is methodical and experienced the world over. They take such pride in what they do that they go to extreme lengths to find and help people. They put their own lives on the line on a regular basis. They are also extremely methodical, with techniques, grid maps, weather charting, etc. honed over decades with military and SAR predecessors. IMO disputing their competence is a non-starter.[/QUOTE]
Snipped.
Excellent post above
@RickshawFan
There are still things I just can't figure out about the much-discussed tracker/sniffer dogs having been used in the search for Esther. Maybe you, or other sleuths, can answer my questions. Please.
- would the dogs not need items with her scent in order to track her?
- DC states the French police didn't want her clothing/samples from him, but maybe the Spanish SAR/LE did? Is that what we think?
- I imagine the dogs would locate where Esther had been on the Pic. Is that correct?
- I also imagine, having located where she'd been on the Pic, they could then follow her scent to show by what path she left the Pic. Is that correct?
- If she'd fallen from the Pic, would the dogs stop tracking, and mill around the spot from which she'd fallen?
What I'm pondering is if it's reasonable to assume the dogs could either show the direction ED took when she left the Pic, or would their tracing of her abruptly end if she fell from it?
But if that's how tracker/sniffer dogs behave, with the former description wouldn't authorities know, for certain, at least the beginning of the route she took after she left the Pic? And with the latter description, wouldn't they know, for certain, she'd fallen off the Pic?
But if they knew she fell from the Pic, why would anyone have reported they don't believe she's on the mountain? Unless they mean she's not on that particular mountain. (I doubt they'd be pedantically expressing she fell into a valley, and so is not on the mountain itself.)
I just can't understand how the dogs would provide no information at all to help direct the search, or give authorities some substantial idea of what exactly happened.
There's another possibility, of course: I'm being particularly stupid today...