Found Deceased Spain - Esther Dingley, from UK, missing in the Pyrenees, November 2020 #6

[Grouse]

I doubt that she had a printer in her van, but perhaps she did. Still, the maps would be 8.5 x 11 format, not a real map.

RSBM - it was me who introduced the idea of using a printer. Rather than in the van I was thinking maybe at the farmhouse before she departed for Spain she might have printed off a load of maps for the area. I mentioned up thread that it's what I do personally, and they are of the same quality as the proper maps I also own, but more convenient I find.

I'm not heavily invested in this theory though, I've seen no evidence one way or another about the exact maps carried, only the reference to "physical map" with phone backup in the dossier.

 

[otto]

RSBM - exactly what I've been thinking amid discussion of whether she had her pack or not. No way I would leave my kit either, and nor do I believe ED would - she had made many,many of these hikes/climbs before carrying full kit.

When I get to the top of a peak I pretty much always take my rucksack off then while admiring the view and taking photos (but it doesn't go out of my sight).

I think this notion may have stemmed from the comment the skier made that her pack looked heavy?

Her pack looked heavy to a stranger, but, in photos, to me, it looks ill fitting and full. Perhaps it looked big and full but wasn't that heavy. This is the same man who had no fruit while he was descending the summit on his Nov 22 day trip with a companion. I wonder what she has to say.

Absolutely no way an experienced back packer would leave her stuff in an unattended Cabane near a road. If Esther is as prepared as her partner claims, she would not hike a couple of hours and leave her back pack lifeline behind - just to have minutes or wifi with him.

 

[OEJ-JEO]

Saw that. Esther with paper maps. Questionable candle light for studying maps on a different trip with Dan.

Not the one I was thinking of. Earwig joe:
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXZ_FGdx...JpMh7ms9wx0fI62WwCPcBGAsYHg/s1600/1340969.jpg

I doubt that she had a printer in her van, but perhaps she did. Still, the maps would be 8.5 x 11 format, not a real map.

I've actually just bought a copy of the IGN TOP25 1848 map I mentioned previously, and the area in question fits comfortably within an A4 sheet, with plenty of room to spare...

 

[otto]

RSBM - it was me who introduced the idea of using a printer. Rather than in the van I was thinking maybe at the farmhouse before she departed for Spain she might have printed off a load of maps for the area. I mentioned up thread that it's what I do personally, and they are of the same quality as the proper maps I also own, but more convenient I find.

I'm not heavily invested in this theory though, I've seen no evidence one way or another about the exact maps carried, only the reference to "physical map" with phone backup in the dossier.

Conventional maps have better scale than printer maps. If she had a proper topo map of the Pic de Sauvegarde, I suspect it was by chance.

She decided to make the hike on Nov 19 after meeting a stranger who recommended the trail. Three days later she was gone. Her partner Dan should be able to share whether she had a good map in hand prior to her solo travels, or whether he posted a map in the dossier based on his assumptions about her route.

I suspect that if her partner had a solid map that she had in hand, and a route that she shared with him, we wouldn't be so confused about his assumptions about her decision to hike in Spain to Port de la Glere the following day, or into the shadowed dusk that evening. Neither really makes sense for an experienced or inexperienced hiker.

 

[otto]

Not the one I was thinking of. Earwig joe:
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXZ_FGdx...JpMh7ms9wx0fI62WwCPcBGAsYHg/s1600/1340969.jpg


I've actually just bought a copy of the IGN TOP25 1848 map I mentioned previously, and the area in question fits comfortably within an A4 sheet, with plenty of room to spare...

Can you share? If she downloaded maps to 8.5 x 11 for this route, I am curious what that looks like.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

British hiker Esther Dingley may have been MURDERED, French police say


Tragic British hiker Esther Dingley may have been MURDERED, French police admit for the first time | Daily Mail Online

What he actually said was:

“The aim is to put forward a scenario to explain the disappearance of Esther Dingley. To find out what may have happened — whether it was an accidental thesis, or a criminal thesis, because we are not closing the door to any hypothesis.”

Slightly less tabloidy headliney.

 

[Grouse]

Conventional maps have better scale than printer maps.

Not sure what you mean there Otto. The ones I have printed are to the same scale, they are usually Ordnance Survey 1:25000 maps. TBH you could even scan them and print and then they'd be pretty much identical. I would admit that on a cheap inkjet printer the resolution would be inferior, but on the colour laser printer I had (which unfortunately packed in a while ago) you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference.

 

[touch]

I suspect that if her partner had a solid map that she had in hand, and a route that she shared with him, we wouldn't be so confused about his assumptions about her decision to hike in Spain to Port de la Glere the following day, or into the shadowed dusk that evening. Neither really makes sense for an experienced or inexperienced hiker.

We don't know that DC is making any assumptions about the route plans.
They had a video call immediately after she sent the last message. We don't know what was discussed on the call, DC does. The only information we have is the written message. Whereas DC likely has significantly more information than we do.

 

[OEJ-JEO]

Can you share? If she downloaded maps to 8.5 x 11 for this route, I am curious what that looks like.

I don't have the means of scanning it, but the map data is identical to the topo layer of the IGN géoportail map: Géoportail

An A4 sheet will cover an area from Pic Fouillouse to Pas de l'Escallette along the border W-E, and from Tucas de Villamuerta in Spain as far north as St Jean de Jouéou in the Bois de Charruga ...

The main drawback of this sheet is that data is very limited on the Spanish side of the border, and the reverse may well be true of maps published in Spain.

 

[Grouse]

Not the one I was thinking of. Earwig joe:
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXZ_FGdx...JpMh7ms9wx0fI62WwCPcBGAsYHg/s1600/1340969.jpg

RSBM - I'm guessing that was a convenient place to keep the maps when hiking with DC, as he could easily access them. On a solo hike she'd have to keep taking her rucksack off to use them. Hard to tell for sure but on that photo
they look similar to what I've used, so would probably fold up and go in a pocket quite easily.

 

[OEJ-JEO]

I'm guessing that was a convenient place to keep the maps when hiking with DC, as he could easily access them.

Yes, that was my assumption too.

 

[Konstantin]

Esther had wifi. We knew within minutes that Refuge de Venasaque had a Winter Room. Why didn't Esther know this basic information?

I’ve always found this odd. Also her vagueness with DC about her plans given that after all she was alone, it was winter, very few people around etc.

Either she was being deliberately vague with DC — she wanted some space, maybe or felt he was controlling and she wanted to have some freedom from him—or she really was that vague and was making her trip up as she went along, living day to day not wanting to come back to be stuck in the gite.

you don’t “hope” a place has a winter room when that can mean life or death. Because as ED surely knew, it could do.

I really get the feeling that ED was rather troubled and not as happy go lucky as she might have wanted her social media to portray. Maybe Dan video called her to try to see where she really was — video calls eat battery which would be a precious resource for her out there alone.

 

[StillDiggin]

MEDIA UPDATE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – ESTHER DINGLEY’S BODY FOUND

Yesterday, on the afternoon of 9 August, Esther Dingley's body and equipment were found together in the Pyrenees, close to where a bone was discovered two weeks ago.

The discovery was made by Esther’s partner Daniel Colegate, following relentless search efforts by him since her disappearance.

A team of forensic specialists along with mountain rescue personnel were dispatched to the site in order to catalogue the scene and recover Esther.

At this stage an accident is the most likely hypothesis, given the location and other early indications. A full investigation is underway to confirm the details surrounding this tragedy.

The family remain incredibly grateful for the efforts of the police units involved and their commitment to understanding the exact circumstances of Esther's death.

LBT Global are supporting Daniel and Esther's mother, Ria, as they come to terms with this news.

Updates to media will be issued by LBT Global as they become available. For now, however, we urge that Esther’s loved ones are left in peace, and that speculation is kept to a minimum. There will be no further statement or interview until further notice – please do not attempt to contact the family.

ENDS

EDITORS NOTES:

LBT Global is managing all media for this case. ALL media enquiries should be addressed by email to [email protected]. Please respect the family’s privacy and do not approach them.

There are no interview opportunities at this point. Any requests should be filed as above.

LBT Global will release updates as they become available.

The attached photograph is free for use – pic credit LBT GLOBAL / FAMILY

https://www.facebook.com/100063596341234/posts/236946201768590/

 

[Ruthbullock]

Hopefully this will give the family a sense of closure and some answers. RIP Esther

 

[Ruthbullock]

Ultimate respect to Dan who found the body, I can’t imagine how awful that is for him.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Thank god she’s been found and it looks like an accident. Thoughts with Dan and the family.

 

[IrisElizabeth]

Poor DC finding her body, that must have been extremely traumatic, but on the other hand he may feel it was the last thing he could do for her so would rather it was him that found her and not the search teams.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

Ultimate respect to Dan who found the body, I can’t imagine how awful that is for him.

Oh my wow! How traumatic for him, but what a hero

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Ultimate respect to Dan who found the body, I can’t imagine how awful that is for him.

I can’t even imagine what he had to see, but it will have been very traumatic. How upsetting.

 

[Grouse]

OMG, really was hoping he wouldn't have to be the one to find her!