I would also like to know where the "hits" were that the sniffer dogs located. Were they in the desert? It seems odd to me that they haven't said the "hits" were in town or locations on the property. I think they were in the desert, possibly. MOO. If the hits were at either & not the desert they would have questioned people and the media would be all over it, I'm sure, MOO. So really IMO that only leaves the desert. MOO.
Found Deceased Chile - Tom Marsh 60, Uk National, University Professor missing from a research trip, 16 September 2022
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More than a month missing. Not finding any further updates from his family or Warwick University.
This French article published October 16 says they are still searching. [Translation below]
Last paragraph:
"A limit has not yet been set, because obviously the search guidelines or the establishment of tasks are directed by the regional prosecutor and the army search unit would remain there until it is determined that the search is complete," he added.
It was on Friday 16 September that all trace of Tom Marsh was lost. The day before, the British astrophysicist had a conversation with the thesis student who accompanied him on his observational trip to Chile, an occasion in which, according to the witness, the scientist expressed "confusing" messages before disappearing.
The enigmatic case had a large contingent for a month in a vast field to find evidence of the route that Marsh would have taken from the hotel to the telescope of the observatory of La Silla, where the last clues found place him.
It should be noted that, as pointed out by the regional prosecutor, Adrián Vega, the work is carried out as part of the search for a living person, because until there is evidence of a misfortune, efforts will focus on finding their fate and reach their return home, where his family is waiting for him "desperately", as his daughter and wife have updated on their Twitter accounts.
However, despite some progress that has allowed to reconstruct part of his walk, the search has not been able to find any results that would close the case.
"Yes, they have continued to register and do work, in some places designated by the regional prosecutor, who directs where to go with the search," he added.
Retamal confirms that the deployed contingent has been maintained and that the work has been reinforced with technical equipment and other logistical elements, "which allow, for example, the patrol to access certain sites or, even, if necessary, to spend the night in the field.
The commander maintains that all the work has been recorded and documented, in order to be able to limit the site of interest according to the provisions of the persecutor, as well as the analysis of everything that is done daily in an area of about 200 square meters. kilometers.
Regarding the continuity of the search, the uniformed officer reports that it is maintained without defined limits.
This French article published October 16 says they are still searching. [Translation below]
Last paragraph:
"A limit has not yet been set, because obviously the search guidelines or the establishment of tasks are directed by the regional prosecutor and the army search unit would remain there until it is determined that the search is complete," he added.
It was on Friday 16 September that all trace of Tom Marsh was lost. The day before, the British astrophysicist had a conversation with the thesis student who accompanied him on his observational trip to Chile, an occasion in which, according to the witness, the scientist expressed "confusing" messages before disappearing.
The enigmatic case had a large contingent for a month in a vast field to find evidence of the route that Marsh would have taken from the hotel to the telescope of the observatory of La Silla, where the last clues found place him.
It should be noted that, as pointed out by the regional prosecutor, Adrián Vega, the work is carried out as part of the search for a living person, because until there is evidence of a misfortune, efforts will focus on finding their fate and reach their return home, where his family is waiting for him "desperately", as his daughter and wife have updated on their Twitter accounts.
However, despite some progress that has allowed to reconstruct part of his walk, the search has not been able to find any results that would close the case.
"Yes, they have continued to register and do work, in some places designated by the regional prosecutor, who directs where to go with the search," he added.
Retamal confirms that the deployed contingent has been maintained and that the work has been reinforced with technical equipment and other logistical elements, "which allow, for example, the patrol to access certain sites or, even, if necessary, to spend the night in the field.
The commander maintains that all the work has been recorded and documented, in order to be able to limit the site of interest according to the provisions of the persecutor, as well as the analysis of everything that is done daily in an area of about 200 square meters. kilometers.
Regarding the continuity of the search, the uniformed officer reports that it is maintained without defined limits.
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Amazing place!
If this is Tom's final resting place, it sounds like an astronomer's paradise. Still, his family need answers if they can be found.
A Different Point of View
....the sky you see in Chile isn’t exactly the same as the sky you see at home; in fact, it’s filled with many more constellations and its stars are much brighter. Whilst the Northern Hemisphere points towards the outer edges of the Milky Way, the Southern Hemisphere of planet Earth faces directly into the Milky Way’s galactic centre with a view of billions of stars. So if the Atacama Desert sky looks like it’s filled with more stars than you’ve ever seen before, that’s because it really is.
The white stripe of the Milky Way stretches across the sky wherever you are in the world. But because the sky is even brighter in the Southern Hemisphere, and the dark spaces in between appear even darker, the effect is even more impressive from Chile.
If this is Tom's final resting place, it sounds like an astronomer's paradise. Still, his family need answers if they can be found.
A Different Point of View
....the sky you see in Chile isn’t exactly the same as the sky you see at home; in fact, it’s filled with many more constellations and its stars are much brighter. Whilst the Northern Hemisphere points towards the outer edges of the Milky Way, the Southern Hemisphere of planet Earth faces directly into the Milky Way’s galactic centre with a view of billions of stars. So if the Atacama Desert sky looks like it’s filled with more stars than you’ve ever seen before, that’s because it really is.
The white stripe of the Milky Way stretches across the sky wherever you are in the world. But because the sky is even brighter in the Southern Hemisphere, and the dark spaces in between appear even darker, the effect is even more impressive from Chile.
Beautifully written WingsOverTX, it sounds exquisite
That area is a mountain top.
No, there is no hotel in La Silla, no local snack and beer settlement either. They've built the observatory in La Silla precisely because it is pitch dark in there (only two little villages in radius of 20 km, no electricity in them AFAIK), adding a hotel and other stuff would just cause the light pollution and spoil these perfect conditions for observing the space.
I agree about light pollution, but an OP posted that there are 2 hotels either on the complex or in town. If it is a huge complex, which it is then lights would be polluting anways, regardless. So what I suspect they do is they've either darkened the windows where people can see outside but the light from inside can't be seen outside. Or the main observatory is high enough not to cause this issue.
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I know if you saw a post after it was explained that the photo I saw was such but in the post after I even added a Wikipedia link to show that its on high ground as you mentioned here.
Here is a good arial view of the complex.
www.eso.org
Another view
www.eso.org
Santa Maria is about 60kms away from the observatory
en.wikipedia.org
Here are modern apartments and hotels in Santa Maria
Not saying Tom walked to the closest town/city but just a thought of the distance he would walk to that town. This is what I found maybe someone can find something similar even closer. I'm thinking along of the lines of modernity and everything associated with that.
hotelandplace.com
Weekend Visits to the La Silla Observatory
ESO is happy to welcome interested visitors at the La Silla Observatory. Guided tours for tourists and the general public are offered every Saturday except during July and August, due to the risk of snowstorms in winter time.
Travel to ESO La Silla
ESO, European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere
Santa María, Chile - Wikipedia
Not saying Tom walked to the closest town/city but just a thought of the distance he would walk to that town. This is what I found maybe someone can find something similar even closer. I'm thinking along of the lines of modernity and everything associated with that.
Hotels La Silla Observatory, Chile
Hotels and Lodging in La Silla Observatory, Chile or near. Accommodation near La Silla Observatory, Chile. Special offers, discounts, breaks and holidays in the zone of La Silla Observatory, Chile
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Thank you for this information 5W's. Some amazing photos of the sea life and birds when you go into further details about accommodationHere is a good arial view of the complex.
Another viewWeekend Visits to the La Silla Observatory
ESO is happy to welcome interested visitors at the La Silla Observatory. Guided tours for tourists and the general public are offered every Saturday except during July and August, due to the risk of snowstorms in winter time.
Santa Maria is about 60kms away from the observatoryTravel to ESO La Silla
ESO, European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere
Here are modern apartments and hotels in Santa MariaSanta María, Chile - Wikipedia
Not saying Tom walked to the closest town/city but just a thought of the distance he would walk to that town. This is what I found maybe someone can find something similar even closer. I'm thinking along of the lines of modernity and everything associated with that.
Hotels La Silla Observatory, Chile
Hotels and Lodging in La Silla Observatory, Chile or near. Accommodation near La Silla Observatory, Chile. Special offers, discounts, breaks and holidays in the zone of La Silla Observatory, Chile
Yes, I know considering its only 60kms away, right? But Santa Maria is small, comparatively to the city that's 150kms away. Although that's interesting though because that city is within 200kms of the observatory. Le Serena Chile, city near La Silla observatory
La Serena, Chile - Wikipedia
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There is not a single hotel up there. There is only a dormitory for scientists which also holds fourteen rooms for guests. All the info is up there in the thread.
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Bringing forward my post of a map of La Silla, which does label one building as a hotel. I have read that he & the student stayed in this building. Since it is not open to the public, it being called a "hotel" doesn't fit what most of us would expect if it only houses authorized visitors.
La Silla Observatory site map
Credit: ESO, the European Southern Observatory
Would be helpful to know which dorm he was staying at. View attachment 368849
Info and photos of history and installations can be found on ESO website:
Snippet:
ESO - About La Silla
ESO is the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere. It operates the La Silla Paranal Observatory in Chile and has its headquarters in Garching, near Munich, Germany.
www.eso.org
Snippet:
Facilities
Currently, our facilities include two well-implemented libraries (the leisure and the scientific library), two conference rooms, an astronomy lounge, a learning laboratory, a cinema room, a clubhouse, and a gymnasium. Regarding lodging, we have a total of 172 dorms for all the staff, besides 14 hotel rooms, which are mostly used for astronomers and visitors. A sample of some of these facilities is shown below.There are also bungalows for them as well. Its possible that the hotel the OP posted about was the dormitory you are referring to IDK maybe there's two sections to the dormitory and that's what the OP meant. The bungalows are on the maps. I 'm more interested in what happened to Tom than anything else. I think a hotel or dormitory really is irrelavnt in this instance. As we know this is a world class facility with strict protocals for visitors and who knows perhaps before Covid-19 it was a hotel/s and visitors could stay overnight. If one looks at some of the information I posted yesterday about the observatory it shows that Covid-19 measures have been implemented so its possible they are doing things differently now as opposed to before the pandemic.
From the recent search report, it would be good to know more of the following (BBM):
Prehistory indicates certain objects and traces found from the paved road to the slope of La Silla hill, which suggests that the astrophysicist could have left this road to take a course along some of the trails in the sector.
However, at a certain point on the dirt roads, his trail is lost and the direction in which he may have gone is unknown.
In the midst of this work, the evidence found was crucial, such as Marsh's belongings in his room intact, the keys found on the way to the telescope, and the fact that he had never reached his destination.
In this sense, the laboratory analysis of other evidence found, to verify that it corresponds to the disappeared person, is essential to continue the path undertaken by the prosecution.
I guess 'traces from the paved road' could mean footprints perhaps, but what would 'certain objects' refer too? We know that Tom dropped his keys but what other objects could he have dropped/discarded? Could he have fallen at some point and these items fell out of his clothing?
Then the 'laboratory analysis of other evidence found' - again, what is this other evidence referring to? Blood stains on the road? Items of clothing? Strange emails?
5 weeks missing now, he has to be out there somewhere - i hope they find him soon.
Reconstruction of the ride
According to sources from El Día, the tracking work has been going on for a few weeks along the route that Tom Marsh would have taken on the morning of September 16.Prehistory indicates certain objects and traces found from the paved road to the slope of La Silla hill, which suggests that the astrophysicist could have left this road to take a course along some of the trails in the sector.
However, at a certain point on the dirt roads, his trail is lost and the direction in which he may have gone is unknown.
In the midst of this work, the evidence found was crucial, such as Marsh's belongings in his room intact, the keys found on the way to the telescope, and the fact that he had never reached his destination.
In this sense, the laboratory analysis of other evidence found, to verify that it corresponds to the disappeared person, is essential to continue the path undertaken by the prosecution.
I guess 'traces from the paved road' could mean footprints perhaps, but what would 'certain objects' refer too? We know that Tom dropped his keys but what other objects could he have dropped/discarded? Could he have fallen at some point and these items fell out of his clothing?
Then the 'laboratory analysis of other evidence found' - again, what is this other evidence referring to? Blood stains on the road? Items of clothing? Strange emails?
5 weeks missing now, he has to be out there somewhere - i hope they find him soon.
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Great questions! Could you please link the exact search report you are referencing? You seem to have caught quite a bit I missed. Also, translation into English may be causing us to not have a clearer understanding of what authorities are saying. A better translation might help?
TIA
MOO
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I wonder if he smoked and 'certain objects' were cigarette butts (DNA)?
This was it:
Snippet from Diario del dia from a couple of days ago:
The prosecutor describes the work being undertaken as "the search for a living person" and stated that "I have no evidence of death and there are no signs of violence." In addition, he said, there are shelters in the area, where there could be food. “I am never going to rule out that possibility at 30 days, because we know that the chances of survival can be longer than that,” he added.
The prosecutor describes the work being undertaken as "the search for a living person" and stated that "I have no evidence of death and there are no signs of violence." In addition, he said, there are shelters in the area, where there could be food. “I am never going to rule out that possibility at 30 days, because we know that the chances of survival can be longer than that,” he added.
¿Hasta cuándo durará búsqueda de Tom Marsh? Los datos que apuntan a extravío en cerro
El fiscal regional de Coquimbo, Adrián Vega, actualizó información de las diligencias en La Silla a más de un mes del inicio de las labores para encontrar al astrónomo británico. 30 personas de distintas instituciones llevan adelante el rastreo y este viernes se sumará una docena de especialistas
www.diarioeldia.cl
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