Found Deceased Spain - Esther Dingley, from UK, missing in the Pyrenees, November 2020 #1

[RickshawFan]

Unless they have infothey are not disclosing, I really don't know how they are so confident she isn't there. There are so many ravines and water and rocks that can hide her from air searches and it is physically not possible they covered all the ground.

I think it's not for us to second-guess SAR in this area or the related gendarmerie. They are familiar with the terrain. The trail also wasn't far for them to hike, and they'd be very fit.
ED's pack is red; it would really stand out.
They clearly have smelled a rat.

 

[Satchie]

This photograph she took and that was posted.

I have precisely geolocated it to the spot it was taken at on 21/11. On the link, click it and you will have the direct view behind her, the photo was taken in front of the solar panel and the radio mast, this is visible through her sunglasses on the photo.

The link: Google Maps

Interestingly, all around the area are water features and small lakes.

My theory is, she will have been carrying some weight in her backpack, the terrain is very rocky and shaley too.

My suspicion is she has fell into water somewhere and is weighed down underneath the surface - basing this on the fact she has not been sighted at all anywhere or by anyone after the photo's were taken and sent to her man.

Quite amazed really that she:
A- Actually went and did this on her own, at this time of year in sub zero temperatures on an evening, without any back up or emergency back up.
B- Walking in dark clothes when a hi-viz outfit or something distinct would have been much more sensible.
C- All of my hiking pals and these are super experienced people way above this girls experience, would definitely have not gone out up there solo without being properly equipped for any eventuality. Better still they'd at least have one other hiker with them.
D- She should have been using a GPS tracker linked to another person IE her partner so he can see her location anytime 24/7.
E- She shouldn't have even been out anyway because of lockdown - the French are kicking up a huge stink over this.
F- I smell a rat in their relationship, something isn't adding up, her frame of mind reading some of the posts she has put all over the place sometimes doesn't seem to make sense.

I'd like to know where her campervan was parked up prior to the walk, that was found but it would help to work out her route from the van, to the peak and back -then somewhere within that area is where she'll be found.

Thanks for the insightful post.

The most reliable source for her route is IMO the French SAR FB post (also in English)
PGHM Luchon

ETA: from the BBC: "Ms Dingley had started walking from Benasque in Spain on Saturday and had planned to spend Sunday night at Refuge de Venasque in France, Mr Colegate said." Esther Dingley: Partner says police 'looking at non-accident options'

No mention of where she'd spent Saturday night.

 

[RickshawFan]

The media don't say where she'd stayed Saturday night.

Snipped for focus.

She likely bivouac-ed. I can't think of anything more dangerous in that situation. It's very easy to get hypothermic: fog could roll in; with air currents, damp zooms up and down mountain slopes at dusk and dawn; she could suddenly have been in a squall; wind could come up. 5 minutes of any of this could be too much. And once your sleeping bag gets wet....

 

[Satchie]

The gendarmerie is very clear she's not there. Their SAR unit is no doubt very skilled.

We have not heard anything from the gendarmerie or SAR, we've heard from her partner.

 

[Satchie]

They can cover a large amount of any terrain pretty closely by using drones.

I know what you mean though, and I won’t be shocked if she’s found soon. But if she’s not.... where did she go?

But as we learned from an 18 month search for a missing man dressed in neutral colors in a small rocky canyon in the US, eagle-eyed people have to view every inch in the drone footage, looking for anything 'odd'.

 

[RickshawFan]

We have not heard anything from the gendarmerie or SAR, we've heard from her partner.

Here, from the Guardian, no less: a major newspaper.
Gendarmes to scale down search for British hiker Esther Dingley in Pyrenees

 

[RickshawFan]

But as we learned from an 18 month search for a missing man dressed in neutral colors in a small rocky canyon in the US, eagle-eyed people have to view every inch in the drone footage, looking for anything 'odd'.

But he was reduced to almost nothing. ED hasn't been missing that long, and her pack is red, per the photo.

 

[Satchie]

I trust the Guardian for producing reliable reports:

" It’s complicated to find someone up there because part of the area is under snow...Dingley was on the Chemin de l’Impératrice (Empress Path) hiking route via Port de Venasque before heading for Porte de la Glère in the Luchon valley, along mountain corridors at altitudes of up to 2,738 metres (8,990ft) on the French-Spanish border...she put her phone on airplane mode to save the battery and there is no data use or GPS trace..."If she stayed on the paths she shouldn’t have had a problem, but sometimes with the snow and ice at altitude it’s difficult to follow the paths,” Gaillard said, adding that Dingley was wearing dark clothes and carrying a grey rucksack...investigators had not ruled out any theory"

Gendarmes to scale down search for British hiker Esther Dingley in Pyrenees

 

[RickshawFan]

The pack is red, per the photo. The harness is grey. The pack is dark red.

 

[GinaSeikwa]

Something seems off. Judging by her FB, Esther is very familiar with the area having been living in the midi Pyrenees region since April 2018 - so over two and a half years based in the area. She spent the initial confinement period in the area. At first I thought she was an adventurous traveller that had simply disregarded or maybe not even known about the confinement orders and had set out on a hike but she very well knew what the rules were and openly defied them.
My in laws live in a village about an hour away from Pic Sauvegarde ( on the French side) and are very impressed by the level of organization to manage this quarantine by the authorities and the respect and compliance that mostly all citizens have for the strict orders. They are Canadian expats and we normally visit them every year except this one so I know the general area. I’m surprised that Esther set out on an overnight hike knowing she would have to use facilities that may or may not have been accessible during quarantine and I’m also surprised that no nosy villager denounced or reported her actions if they spotted her for an extended period of time out and about. Small villagers in the region don’t take to kindly to foreigners flouting the rules.

 

[Kitkat28]

I’m also surprised that no nosy villager denounced or reported her actions if they spotted her for an extended period of time out and about. Small villagers in the region don’t take to kindly to foreigners flouting the rules.

This is what surprised me too.

My hinky meter is pinging on this but I shall sit on my hands for now.

 

[Satchie]

The pack is red, per the photo. The harness is grey. The pack is dark red.

In this photo, the pack has red on top and against her back but there is also grey that may be a pack cover.

Search Is on for Esther Dingley, Woman Missing After Hiking in Pyrenees

 

[PommyMommy]

DEC 2, 2020
Search for British hiker missing in Pyrenees called off (connexionfrance.com)
[...]

Pierre Gaillard, the deputy commander of the high-mountain gendarmerie platoon of Bagnères de Luchon, told The Connexion that a judicial inquiry has now been opened in France to determine the cause of her disappearance.

French authorities are not ruling out the possibility that her disappearance is unrelated to a mountain accident.

“The goal is to determine if she has been lost on the mountain or somewhere else,” Mr Gaillard said.

[...]

Mr Gaillard said the mountain search was called off yesterday afternoon (December 1) due to poor weather.

“The weather is bad and there is snow. If we return to the area there will be no value. We won’t see anything,” he said.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

In this photo, the pack has red on top and against her back but there is also grey that may be a pack cover.

Search Is on for Esther Dingley, Woman Missing After Hiking in Pyrenees

Here's a couple more.

Facebook

Facebook

 

[DanceCard]

For anyone in the UK, Esther's partner has just given an interview on BBC Breakfast. It should be available on Catch Up/iPlayer at some point today. The interview began at approx 0850am.
Unfortunately I was unable to give it my full attention as I was busy with work but I will try to listen to it again this evening.

Hopefully another WSer saw it?

 

[Satchie]

Something seems off. Judging by her FB, Esther is very familiar with the area having been living in the midi Pyrenees region since April 2018 - so over two and a half years based in the area. She spent the initial confinement period in the area. At first I thought she was an adventurous traveller that had simply disregarded or maybe not even known about the confinement orders and had set out on a hike but she very well knew what the rules were and openly defied them.
My in laws live in a village about an hour away from Pic Sauvegarde ( on the French side) and are very impressed by the level of organization to manage this quarantine by the authorities and the respect and compliance that mostly all citizens have for the strict orders. They are Canadian expats and we normally visit them every year except this one so I know the general area. I’m surprised that Esther set out on an overnight hike knowing she would have to use facilities that may or may not have been accessible during quarantine and I’m also surprised that no nosy villager denounced or reported her actions if they spotted her for an extended period of time out and about. Small villagers in the region don’t take to kindly to foreigners flouting the rules.

She wasn't visiting French villages, she was staying in Spain and hiking the mountains where no one lives. She had a small tent and IMO would camp near the mountain huts, which are closed this time of year. IMO the lockdown is only relevant in that fewer other people would have been hiking.

 

[Faz42]

He spoke about her in past tense throughout the video.

 

[DanceCard]

He spoke about her in past tense throughout the video.

What I heard he also seemed to be thinking that she is no longer on the mountain?
I was on a work phone call at the time and just caught bits of the interview.

 

[Satchie]

DEC 2, 2020
Search for British hiker missing in Pyrenees called off (connexionfrance.com)
[...]

Pierre Gaillard, the deputy commander of the high-mountain gendarmerie platoon of Bagnères de Luchon, told The Connexion that a judicial inquiry has now been opened in France to determine the cause of her disappearance.

French authorities are not ruling out the possibility that her disappearance is unrelated to a mountain accident.

“The goal is to determine if she has been lost on the mountain or somewhere else,” Mr Gaillard said.

[...]

Mr Gaillard said the mountain search was called off yesterday afternoon (December 1) due to poor weather.

“The weather is bad and there is snow. If we return to the area there will be no value. We won’t see anything,” he said.

[...]

Sad news.

My impression is a judicial inquiry means a solo judge has been appointed to actively investigates a case, like the police would in other countries. It's usually done in secrecy to protect the case and privacy of witnesses, ie it does not mean an open inquiry before an impartial judge. It surprises me that anyone thinks a determination can be made about what happened, when she hasn't been found.

 

[hitthenick]

Good work, Nick. So that was the photo she uploaded to Instagram on 21st. Can you also locate this photo which was Whatsapped to Dan on 22nd? I'd be interested to know exactly where that was too. No pressure!

Hi Cags, long time etc xx

This photo you have posted, it's in the same spot pretty much as my link, but she has turned round facing a slightly different angle. At this point, the background is France, pic is taken a few metres away from the radio mast but the background is pointing towards a North direction.

If you zoom in on the photo, her left lens on her sunglasses shows the same radio mast and solar panel area.

Imagine, she hits the summit, then takes loads of selfies, all from the same spot but she is rotating herself for the different backgrounds. If this is the one she sent to him, then there may be a reason for this. Hard to see but in the background in the valley to the left edge of that photo as we see it, there is a town called Luchon and it's various small connections. I wonder if there is significance to that particular selfie she took and sent to him?

Does anyone know exactly where Daniel was supposed to be staying? House sitting somewhere?