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

[CoverMeCagney]

Thanks for this, Zara. Did you suss out what proportion of all those rescues were in the Sauvegarde area? The Alps are over 200 miles long iirc, so I’m trying to gauge whether rescues are common around where Esther was.

Indeed. This is sloppy journalism if ever there was some. One might be tempted to withold praise (once again, I'd say.)

LE have nothing?

LE know the location & time where she was last seen and made contact with her partner. (Spain)
They know that she did not arrive at her next destination. (in France)
No phone movements since
No bank account movements since (my wild guess, since everybody would be relieved if there had been)
Freezing temperatures and 50 cm of snow

The Spanish GREIM, part of the Guardia Civíl, are experts in their field, dedicatecd units who work in Search and Rescue in mountains, caves and water.

Throughout 2019, the Guardia Civil's Mountain Service carried out 981 rescues in which the bodies of 127 fatalities were recovered and 607 injured and 715 unharmed were helped. These interventions took place throughout Spain, although most of them (42.2%) were in Aragon.

Benasque is in Aragon. Benasque is a black spot due to the number of accidents and fatalities in the mountains.

Over 50% of those rescued in 2019 were not prepared for the activities that they were doing.

I've been reading a lot. 12 Persons rescued in 9 interventions in one weekend in august, all in a days work. And on it goes.

BTW, collaborating with other parties, including foreign parties, is in their founding papers.

 

[PeggyHenry]

British hiker Esther Dingley ‘may have deliberately gone missing to retain nomadic lifestyle’ | News | The Times

Police searching for Esther Dingley, the British hiker who vanished in the Pyrenees, are concentrating on the theory that she has deliberately gone missing because she feared her nomadic lifestyle was about to end.

French and Spanish officers are focusing their investigations on a “voluntary disappearance” as heavy snowfall means they have had to cancel searches of mountains where she was last seen three weeks ago.

They have discovered that Ms Dingley, 37, was concerned that her partner, Daniel Colegate, was considering settling down following their six years roaming Europe in a camper van that began when they abandoned their high-flying academic careers.

She went hiking alone at the end of October and was last seen on November 22.

<modsnip: copyright & paywall TOS>

 

[ZaZara]

Thanks for this, Zara. Did you suss out what proportion of all those rescues were in the Sauvegarde area? The Alps are over 200 miles long iirc, so I’m trying to gauge whether rescues are common around where Esther was.

Rescues are common in the area of Benasque, the helicopter is stationed there.

They celebrated their 25 years of operation last year.

Trofeo "Memorial del Recuerdo" para el GREIM de Benasque

The GREIM of Benasque currently has a staff of 15 specialists, 1 sergeant, 3 corporals and 11 officers, and a rescue dog specialising in avalanches with its corresponding handler. In addition, since 1998 they have had specific training and doctors specialising in mountain medicine.

They have the support of a helicopter from the UH 41 base in Huesca, and since 2005, a second helicopter has been using the Benasque heliport as a fixed operations base between June and September to reinforce the rescue service, which is carried out here in 80% by helicopters. The Benasque Valley area stands out for being the Pyrenean zone where most rescues are carried out. In the 25 years the GREIM of Benasque has carried out more than 1,195 interventions in its area with a balance of more than 2,058 people rescued.

In addition to the mountain rescues, this unit intervenes in the ski resorts of the valley, Llanos del Hospital and Aramon Cerler, both in public safety functions, patrolling its slopes daily, and supporting the staff of the resorts in rescues, evacuations, and drills.

BBM


GREIM, Grupo de Rescate e Intervención en Montaña is part of the Guardia Civil of Benasque

 

[talby66]

I’ve lost the post I was replying to, but my answer was: Esther didn’t switch her phone off, according to early reports. She switched it to airplane mode to save the battery. A tactic I use myself when away camping or at festivals.

I asked (in amongst some other questions) why did Esther turn her phone off. How does anyone know that she turned it to airplane mode? in airplane mode it has no external contact, no GPS, nothing. What's the point of that, was she going to play a game on it? If you are genuinely concerned about the battery I would have thought full shutdown would better. She disconnected herself from the world and then cannot be tracked. Her battery may have been low and then caused a problem but arguably she created the problem all on her own.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I asked (in amongst some other questions) why did Esther turn her phone off. How does anyone know that she turned it to airplane mode? in airplane mode it has no external contact, no GPS, nothing. What's the point of that, was she going to play a game on it? If you are genuinely concerned about the battery I would have thought full shutdown would better. She disconnected herself from the world and then cannot be tracked. Her battery may have been low and then caused a problem but arguably she created the problem all on her own.

“After that, she put her phone in airplane mode to save battery power and there has been no data usage or GPS tracking since then. “

https://www.fr24news.com/a/2020/11/the-gendarmes-will-reduce-the-search-for-the-british-hiker-esther-dingley-in-the-pyrenees-france.html

As for why she would do this rather than switch it off fully - she used it for photos, and maybe for music.

 

[stmarysmead]

So just this summer, they spent their first time apart in many years, when ED a left for a month.

“This was the longest time we’d spent apart for years and ... finding herself alone in the wild was a significant step change.”

Interestingly, HE decided where they would stay after that...contrary to her wish to be someplace warm.


“Ms Dingley wanted to spend winters in the sun but last year instead of visiting Spain and Portugal Mr Colegate arranged for them to stay in a remote farmhouse in the village of Arreau in the foothills of the Pyrenees. When lockdown began earlier this year they returned to the farmhouse.”

And other differences were emerging...

“They have discovered that Ms Dingley, 37, was concerned that her partner, Daniel Colegate, was considering settling down following their six years roaming Europe in a camper van that began when they abandoned their high-flying academic careers.”

Interesting....

 

[patCee]

Thanks for this, Zara. Did you suss out what proportion of all those rescues were in the Sauvegarde area? The Alps are over 200 miles long iirc, so I’m trying to gauge whether rescues are common around where Esther was.

Further back it was posted that the Benasque Mayor reported there had been 8 or 9 fatalities in the area, but i'm not sure about the period of time involved, other than him saying he was not surprised there was a missing person.

Found it and it 7 or 8 fatalities each year according to the local mayor.
Fears Mount That Missing Hiker Esther Dingley Has Fallen

 

[Kaykedi]

What's your thoughts talby66

 

[patCee]

So just this summer, they spent their first time apart in many years, when ED a left for a month.

“This was the longest time we’d spent apart for years and ... finding herself alone in the wild was a significant step change.”

Interestingly, HE decided where they would stay after that...contrary to her wish to be someplace warm.


“Ms Dingley wanted to spend winters in the sun but last year instead of visiting Spain and Portugal Mr Colegate arranged for them to stay in a remote farmhouse in the village of Arreau in the foothills of the Pyrenees. When lockdown began earlier this year they returned to the farmhouse.”

And other differences were emerging...

“They have discovered that Ms Dingley, 37, was concerned that her partner, Daniel Colegate, was considering settling down following their six years roaming Europe in a camper van that began when they abandoned their high-flying academic careers.”

Interesting....

This must be the information the police chief was referring to saying the couples life was not as "idyllic" as portrayed in social media.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

if Esther really didnt want to go back to a conventional lifestyle I think they could have gone their separate ways amicably. And I still think if she decided to take off, she would have taken the van.

JMO though.

 

[Sillybilly]

This is a missing persons case and there is nothing in MSM or from LE to indicate this is a hoax.

One of the very basic principles of Websleuths is that we are Victim Friendly. That is one of the main differences between Websleuths vs other rag-mag types of sites where anything goes.

Theories and speculation that a hoax is involved are NOT victim friendly. Members who suggest that to be the case will be removed from this discussion.

VICTIM FRIENDLY

Websleuths is a victim friendly forum. Attacking or bashing a victim is not allowed. Discussing victim behavior, good or bad is fine, but do so in a civil and constructive way, and only when such behavior is known to be relevant to the case.

The "victim friendly" rule extends to the family members of victims and suspects. Sleuthing family members, friends, and others who have not been designated as suspects is not allowed. Don't make random accusations, suggest their involvement, nor bash and attack them. Posting their personal information, including names, addresses, and background data -- even if it is public -- is not allowed. That does not mean, however, that statements made by family members and other third parties cannot come into discussion as the facts of the case are reported in the media.

 

[stmarysmead]

To carry your point forward - if Esther really didnt want to go back to a conventional lifestyle I think they could have gone their separate ways amicably. And I still think if she decided to take off, she would have taken the van.

JMO though.

I’m not really invested in my “point”...lol...but only the two people in a relationship knows really what it is like. Was he dependent, controlling? Did she try to leave before and did not want another confrontation? Leaving the van...is leaving “clean”...taking nothing from their joint life that they own together.

And honestly, if there had only been a communication so that no publicity or searches ensued, there would be absolutely nothing to criticize about her leaving like this.

 

[Sjm_qc]

Well, The Times article is “interesting” to say the least.

And, if accurate on all details (which I’m not entirely convinced of yet), means that most of not all of their blogging & social media timeline over the past year-18 months may be geographically & chronologically untrue. I’m not talking about whether they were “idyllically” happy or not, I’m talking about in what places they (each) were & when.

I’m going to take a break and let the dust settle, see what other “revelations” emerge.

ETA: I must have posted at the same time as SillyBilly. In no way shape or form am I suggesting a hoax of any kind.

 

[mrjitty]

“After that, she put her phone in airplane mode to save battery power and there has been no data usage or GPS tracking since then. “
https://www.fr24news.com/a/2020/11/...er-esther-dingley-in-the-pyrenees-france.html
The gendarmes will reduce the search for the British hiker Esther Dingley in the Pyrenees | France | FR24 News English

As for why she would do this rather than switch it off fully - she used it for photos, and maybe for music.

I think this is valid

And the if you have a fall you might be incapacitated and unable to turn airplane mode off

 

[mrjitty]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

She probably had external batteries. We all carry them these days

If she fell it would not matter whether her phone was off or in airplane mode

 

[JosieJo]

Surely if someone wanted to carry on with their trip they would just text and say I'm safe im going to carry on travelling for a little longer ..please don't contact me ...then go off in the van?
The only other option would be if travelling with someone else.
But if you were in a reasonable state of mind I still think you would let people know you are safe

 

[PeggyHenry]

Maybe a voluntary disappearance would tie in with what she allegedly spoke about to Antonio Ballarin regarding catching a train to Toulouse.

 

[mrjitty]

Its interesting she submitted late in the day ... did she descend in the dark?

 

[PeggyHenry]

Its interesting she submitted late in the day ... did she descend in the dark?

I think she summited at approximately 4pm leaving around an hour or so of daylight to get to the refuge. So she wasn’t necessarily intending to descend that evening.. although to my understanding there was no evidence of her reaching refuge.

 

[whitelilac]

I've been following. I'm also an avid hiker and climber, and am well aware that no matter how experienced one is, unexpected and life threatening things can happen. For that reason alone, I never hike solo.

Here on the west coast, a number of hikers have vanished, quite recently, and are still to be found regardless of the massive searches.

I personally do not believe that Esther disappeared voluntarily and agree with others that if she and her partner were at a point of foreseeing different futures, they would have parted amicably. She would also have let loved ones know she was safe, and why would she have abandoned her van?

As for foul play?....it's possible, but I lean more to an accident.