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

[GTB72]

article says that he has dual US/Greek citizenship.... so he is a citizen not a tourist BTW

Fair enough. I just posted the link. Didn't mention he was a tourist in that post but will take your suggestion to heart.

 

[otto]

AFAIK:

1. No information about cell phone plans

2. Don't know if that photo is recent

3. Don't have any idea of where he was staying or what kind of lodging it is

4. Don't know but assume there is a local bus between Katapola and Lagarda

5. Hadn't thought about him having a car there. I guess he put his large backpack there but no idea what his plans were regarding returning from Katapola. I'm surprised to think he had a rental car.

6. Seems reasonable that he was very thirsty and hot at about 11:30 am and knew he had to have additional fluids to complete his trip.

I too am surprised about him putting his stuff in the car, per the ABC news report. It must be his car, or was he putting stuff in someone else's car?

Did he not trust anyone so he kept his things locked in the trunk of a car when he was not where he was staying? Or was he planning another trip in his car?

Regarding his cell phone plan, perhaps he has a Greek SIM card. Still, his phone should have a personal ID number that his regular USA phone provider can trace. When I've travel internationally, I get a local SIM card. However, if I walked into a shop that was tracking traffic in and out of the store, my phone ID would show up, not my SIM card phone number. It's worth a shot for the family to contact Eric Albert's USA phone provider for location data.

If that photo is recent, maybe the friend in the photo has more information about Eric Albert's usual hiking route, and why he might have hiked 4 hours for a lunch appointment - rather than driven the car we see in CCTV footage. Was he Eric with some people, and Albert with others, or did everyone say Eric Albert?

I think it would be helpful to know more about his itinerary. We don't know when he planned to leave the Island, yet he is seen with extra luggage and a car on the morning of a day hike - same day? Is it confirmed that the CCTV of him with a car is from the morning of June 11?

 

[Marie A]

Best clothing colors to help stay cool during a heat wave

As Southern California prepares for an end of August heat wave for the next couple of days, it’s important to be dressed according to the weather.

www.nbclosangeles.com

National weather service says white is a lot cooler. Dark colors provide more SPF but are MANY degrees warmer than white/ light colors per numerous studies.
Obviously a t-shirt and shorts don’t have the same properties of circulation and drawing heat away from the body as long, loose robes that Bedouins wear

https://www.wkrg.com/weather-education/truth-or-myth-wearing-light-colored-clothing-in-the-heat-is-safer/

 

[Cedars]

The black thing being worse is actually a myth, what's important is looseness to allow for convection circulation of air, cooling the body.

The Bedouin wear black in the desert, and have done for centuries.

Strange but true: science's most improbable research

Science isn't always about the big questions. Marc Abrahams spends his time studying research that seeks the answers to more unlikely problems – little conundrums that others dare not tackle

www.theguardian.com

However, the most important thing if you are hiking alone is it should be a very bright, non natural color, so you can be seen: red, orange, neon yellow or green.

It's very hard to see black from a distance.

JMO

 

[acutename]

Fair enough. I just posted the link. Didn't mention he was a tourist in that post but will take your suggestion to heart.

I was not just responding to you- people seem to think that he is a "pesky US tourist" who now needs to be rescued/recovered ... since he is a citizen, I wonder if he has Greek relatives or owns property or something else ties him to the country... Do we know where he was born? exes? children?

 

[otto]

This is so frustrating.
I think he must have had an accident or simply succumbed to the heat.
Otto mentioned that a white t-shirt (rather than black) would have been a lot cooler and I concur.
If he didn’t fall into a ravine or the like he could well be under a tree or bush and hard to find (he may have sought shade before succumbing to the heat.)
He is likely hard to spot like Michael Mosley- more drones to search for him or to search for some shady spots off trail that he may have crawled under.
I agree with Herat that a Greek private eye should be hired!
They could crowd fund with or similar if needed.

All IMHO

If he sought shade, why didn't he use a cell phone? No service? I'm curious about cell service. Was it better at higher elevations?

There's some confusion around when he started the trail, and when he bought water.

Is it possible that he sent the photo of the trailhead at a high point on the Island with better cell service at 9:20 a.m., at the same time that he bought the water?

 

[otto]

article says that he has dual US/Greek citizenship.... so he is a citizen not a tourist BTW

Does he have a family home on the Island?

 

[Herat]

Does he have a family home on the Island?

We have no information on him having any Greek roots or having family on the island or anywhere in Greece. His family name is said to have a French origin, but that doesn't really explain anything.

We really don't know much about him.

 

[Marie A]

If he sought shade, why didn't he use a cell phone? No service? I'm curious about cell service. Was it better at higher elevations?

There's some confusion around when he started the trail, and when he bought water.

Is it possible that he sent the photo of the trailhead at a high point on the Island with better cell service at 9:20 a.m., at the same time that he bought the water?

I’m assuming cell service on a trail was spotty at best.
I do think he sent the photo when he bought water.
He may have tried to alert someone that he was in trouble but had no service. Also, with that heat the phones may not have functioned.
I live in a hot area and my phone sometimes has to cool off before I can use it.
My iPad melted once on a hot day while traveling in Provence several years ago.
It simply overheated and stopped functioning.
All IMHO

 

[GTB72]

If he sought shade, why didn't he use a cell phone? No service? I'm curious about cell service. Was it better at higher elevations?

There's some confusion around when he started the trail, and when he bought water.

Is it possible that he sent the photo of the trailhead at a high point on the Island with better cell service at 9:20 a.m., at the same time that he bought the water?

Bbm


A very pertinent point. He certainly had network coverage at that time.

Ebm

 

[otto]

I'd assumed he'd left a car at the trailhead...so was planning to get back to pick it up?.

I think the backpack could seem large but be lightweight. Possibly he wanted to bring a change of clothes/shoes for after the hike?

He could have had lots of water, but wanted to drink something cold at the store.

JMO

The hike to Kalapola was 4-5 hours in the hot sun. He was meeting someone for lunch. He would have to take the bus back because it was too hot to hike back. Why didn't he drive and take a shorter hike around the lunch date?

What time was lunch - 1 p.m?
3:30 p.m. he was reported missing?
That was fast! Helicopters in the air for 2 hours the next day.

There's something about Eric Albert's hike, lunch, and car that doesn't make sense. He's an experienced hiker who walks 4 hours in the hot sun to enjoy lunch in Kalapola before a sweltering bus ride back to the car in Ladaga, where he has a change of clothes in the trunk of the car. Why not hike in the early morning, air conditioning to lunch, air conditioning back to Lagada.

 

[Herat]

It does make more sense that he departed around 7 am and the friend noticed him overdue after about noon. And it also makes sense that he sent GF the trailhead photo when he had cell reception near Asphonidilatus, rather than when he actually departed.

The important detail we don't have is the TIME that Sophia Liviaki sold him the soda and the water presumably at Asphondilatus .No article I can yet find specifies the time or location other than "two hours after he left".

Did she see him around 9 am or 11 am?

The one paragraph that I can find that mentions her, from a BBC news report:

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.

US tourist Albert Calibet missing for days on Greek island of Amorgos

Local officials say the 59-year-old did not return after setting out on a hike on Tuesday.

www.bbc.com

*Edited to add source

 

[GTB72]

It does make more sense that he departed around 7 am and the friend noticed him overdue after about noon. And it also makes sense that he sent GF the trailhead photo when he had cell reception near Asphonidilatus, rather than when he actually departed.

The important detail we don't have is the TIME that Sophia Liviaki sold him the soda and the water presumably at Asphondilatus .No article I can yet find specifies the time or location other than "two hours after he left".

Did she see him around 9 am or 11 am?

The one paragraph that I can find that mentions her, from a BBC news report:

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.

US tourist Albert Calibet missing for days on Greek island of Amorgos

Local officials say the 59-year-old did not return after setting out on a hike on Tuesday.

www.bbc.com

*Edited to add source

Bbm

Search launched for missing LA County Sheriff's deputy in Greece

The former cop, who has been identified as 58-year-old Albert Calibet from Hermosa Beach, California , departed from the port settlement of Aegiali in the northwest of the island shortly after 7 am.

www.dailymail.co.uk

This is an earlier report from the Daily Mail of 13th June. It is mentioned within by the girlfriend that the coke and water was bought at to Steki tou machera. The media reports are so conflicting though.

Ebm - added link

 

[GTB72]

It does make more sense that he departed around 7 am and the friend noticed him overdue after about noon. And it also makes sense that he sent GF the trailhead photo when he had cell reception near Asphonidilatus, rather than when he actually departed.

The important detail we don't have is the TIME that Sophia Liviaki sold him the soda and the water presumably at Asphondilatus .No article I can yet find specifies the time or location other than "two hours after he left".

Did she see him around 9 am or 11 am?

The one paragraph that I can find that mentions her, from a BBC news report:

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.

US tourist Albert Calibet missing for days on Greek island of Amorgos

Local officials say the 59-year-old did not return after setting out on a hike on Tuesday.

www.bbc.com

*Edited to add source

Further to this Steki Tou Machera is 2 hours hike from Lagada. So if he set out at 7.20 that places him buying the coke and water at roughly 9.20. And if he set out at 9.20 which is more likely given his girlfriend said he posted the trailhead sign at that time which said Asforiditis 2 hours then that places the buying of the coke and water at roughly 11.20

Ebm - screenshot added.

 

[otto]

We have no information on him having any Greek roots or having family on the island or anywhere in Greece. His family name is said to have a French origin, but that doesn't really explain anything.

We really don't know much about him.

That's what I thought when I saw the CCTV footage and the car. We don't know anything except that he went for a 4 hour hike in 96°F weather, under what I would consider unusual circumstances, and didn't show up for lunch.

If he was prepared for the 4 hours hike, why did the plan include buying water 2 hours into the hike? What if the shop was closed that day?

At this point, my questions are:

1. if he speaks Greek, he knew the weather forecast was unseasonably hot, so why did he plan a 4-5 hour hike for a lunch date, with bus trip back,
2. why didn't he hike in the early morning, drive to lunch, drive home, with air conditioning on an unseasonably hot day,
3. as a seasoned hiker, why did he rely on buying water during a 4 hour hike. Did he discuss maps when buying water? New route?
4. what did he put in the car,
5. itinerary: arrival in Greece, arrival at Amorgos, address at Lagada (home/rental?), planned departure and route from Amorgos, planned departure from Athens, to where
6. travel companions

Where did he go from here?
google maps

 

[Herat]

Further to this Steki Tou Machera is 2 hours hike from Lagada. So if he set out at 7.20 that places him buying the coke and water at roughly 9.20. And if he set out at 9.20 which is more likely given his girlfriend said he posted the trailhead sign at that time which said Asforiditis 2 hours then that places the buying of the coke and water at roughly 11.20

.
Note that Sophia is not reported as saying he looked in distress or was confused or such. They had a conversation, possibly in Greek?, and he showed her his planned route, presumably on his phone. But I don't understand why he would show her his route as it is obvious and would be unnecessary if he was planning on the usual route.

Unless he was doing something other than follow the main trail,

I dunno, Maybe the family needs to offer a reward.

 

[GTB72]

.
Note that Sophia is not reported as saying he looked in distress or was confused or such. They had a conversation, possibly in Greek?, and he showed her his planned route, presumably on his phone. But I don't understand why he would show her his route as it is obvious and would be unnecessary if he was planning on the usual route.

Unless he was doing something other than follow the main trail,

I dunno, Maybe the family needs to offer a reward.

Bbm

Perhaps she asked him where he was heading and his planned route and out of civility he showed her that? Maybe it was easier to show it on the phone than verbally? To be honest, this is tying me in knots trying to figure this one out.

 

[Herat]

That's what I thought when I saw the CCTV footage and the car. We don't know anything except that he went for a 4 hour hike in 96°F weather, under what I would consider unusual circumstances, and didn't show up for lunch.

If he was prepared for the 4 hours hike, why did the plan include buying water 2 hours into the hike? What if the shop was closed that day?

At this point, my questions are:

1. if he speaks Greek, he knew the weather forecast was unseasonably hot, so why did he plan a 4-5 hour hike for a lunch date, with bus trip back,
2. why didn't he hike in the early morning, drive to lunch, drive home, with air conditioning on an unseasonably hot day,
3. as a seasoned hiker, why did he rely on buying water during a 4 hour hike. Did he discuss maps when buying water? New route?
4. what did he put in the car,
5. itinerary: arrival in Greece, arrival at Amorgos, address at Lagada (home/rental?), planned departure and route from Amorgos, planned departure from Athens, to where
6. travel companions

Where did he go from here?
google maps

You get to Amargos by ferry from Santorini or Piraeus. Both high-speed and car ferries operate. There are no car rental on Amargos, so I guess you rent in Santorini or PIraeus or even Athens, I suppose.

Clearly Amargos has no airport, but you can fly into Santorini, Naxos, or Piraeus.

 

[GTB72]

That's what I thought when I saw the CCTV footage and the car. We don't know anything except that he went for a 4 hour hike in 96°F weather, under what I would consider unusual circumstances, and didn't show up for lunch.

If he was prepared for the 4 hours hike, why did the plan include buying water 2 hours into the hike? What if the shop was closed that day?

At this point, my questions are:

1. if he speaks Greek, he knew the weather forecast was unseasonably hot, so why did he plan a 4-5 hour hike for a lunch date, with bus trip back,
2. why didn't he hike in the early morning, drive to lunch, drive home, with air conditioning on an unseasonably hot day,
3. as a seasoned hiker, why did he rely on buying water during a 4 hour hike. Did he discuss maps when buying water? New route?
4. what did he put in the car,
5. itinerary: arrival in Greece, arrival at Amorgos, address at Lagada (home/rental?), planned departure and route from Amorgos, planned departure from Athens, to where
6. travel companions

Where did he go from here?
google maps

Ebm - screenshot added

Re where did he go from here I didn't quite realise Steki Tou Machera is a bit off the actual trail according to that map. If I had to guess, I would say he is still in that area or is further towards Chora and is near or even in the Smiley Caves.

IMO

 

[otto]

Bbm


A very pertinent point. He certainly had network coverage at that time.

Ebm

That would clear up the question of whether he started the hike at 7 or 9. It sounds like he started the trail at 7, took a photo, bought water at a high point on the Island at 9:20 a.m., sent a photo of the trail head, and then what? Where did he go next? Shortest route to Katapola

I've read upthread that searches are conducted on the NW side of the Island based on cell phone data, but the family has said that they have no cell phone data due to uncooperative Greeks.

Was that his preferred route - avoid the monasteries, head straight to Chora?