Dr Mosley’s spouse describes agony trying to find lacking husband

Dr Michael Mosley’s wife vowed ‘we will not lose hope’ as her family arrived on the island of Symi to join her in the fourth day of desperate searches for the missing Mail columnist.

“It has been three days since Michael left the beach to go for a walk. The longest and most unbearable days for myself and my children,’ she told MailOnline on Saturday in an emotional statement.

‘The search is ongoing and our family are so incredibly grateful to the people of Symi, the Greek authorities and the British Consulate who are working tirelessly to help find Michael. We will not lose hope.’

rFather of four Dr Mosley, 67, was last seen by Dr Clare Bailey on Wednesday afternoon after he spent the morning with her and two friends at a secluded beach on the island of Symi.

Newly seen CCTV footage appearing to show Dr Mosley in the nearby town of Pedi after a walk west from the beach, leading authorities to believe the health guru vanished after leaving via a mountainous path to the north.

As searches restarted around 6am this morning, the mayor of Symi vowed to continue the extensive search operation which has involved police, firefighters with drones, and divers.

CCTV footage picked him Dr Michael Mosley the last time just after 2pm on Wednesday as he strode through the nearby town of Pedi heading for a mountainous trail towards a location known as Agia Marina.

But since then and despite a massive search operation in 35c heat – involving dogs, drones, helicopters and divers there has been no sighting of him.

On Saturday, mayor Eleftherios Papakaloudoukas confirmed Dr Mosley’s four children – Alexander, Jack, Daniel and Katherine – had arrived today to help search efforts as rescue teams look to cover a 6.5km radius.

They are understood to have been joined by friends as they searched the two mile trail from Pedi to Agia Marina along with mountain rescue teams under a fierce sun.

When approached one of the group told MailOnline: ‘Please don’t speak to us,’ as they headed off towards a shepherd hut part way along the route.

Rescue teams are becoming increasingly concerned for Dr Mosley’s welfare as temperatures over the last few days have been at times unbearable and there is a heat warning out from local authorities.

Papakaloudoukas warned that the area being searched is ‘difficult to pass’ and is ‘only rocks’, populated by ‘loads’ of snakes.

With temperatures soaring on Saturday, a search dog was only able to work for one hour.

Papakaloudoukas nonetheless vowed to continue the extensive search operation which has involved police, firefighters with drones, and divers.

Search teams are describing it as a ‘race against time’ with every minute invaluable and all boats commercial and private have been asked to keep an eye out for him in the water.

There is a path from Agia Marina which leads down into Symi but it is not marked and guidebooks warn that it is ‘technically difficult’ and easy to stumble and get lost along.

It adds the unforgiving limestone terrain is a ‘desert mountains scape with much of the path ‘stony to very stony underfoot’.

MailOnline walked a section of it and although doable it would certainly be hard work under a fierce sun during the hottest part of the day.

One search member encountered by the MailOnline said:’ We have footage of him going this way from the last house in Pedi but you can’t see the umbrella he was carrying.

‘This is a difficult walk at the best of time and should not be done between 11am and 5pm and we think he was here during the hottest part of the day at 2pm.’

At Agia Marina – a purpose built beach with stunning views onto a small island and the Turkish coast on the horizon – staff told MailOnline police had asked to check their CCTV.

An employee said:’ I’m pretty certain I would have remembered a man with an umbrella but no one came this way dressed like that.

‘The owner is out with the police now searching from here to Symi, it’s a climb to the top of the mountain then you walk down and it climbs again before you meet a road taking you into the town. It would take about an hour, hour and a half maximum.

‘There is nothing between here and Symi apart from stones, more stones and sheep and goats, it’s all exposed and I wouldn’t try and walk it in this heat.’

Apart from goats and sheep on the peninsula there is nothing else apart from a few isolated shepherd huts.

Papakalodoukas said: ‘We know he came through Pedi and then walked onwards towards Agia Marina, it is about two miles and a harder walk than from St Nicholas.

‘But then we don’t know if he reached Agia Marina or if he decided to climb over the mountain which at it’s highest is about 250m (815ft) to head into Symi but that path is difficult.

‘Only a few locals know it and although it is marked you can easily get lost and it’s not wise do walk it in the middle of the afternoon in temperatures approaching 40c.

‘If he did try and walk that way to Symi then that is a big mistake.

‘There are also many troubling questions here. Why did he leave the beach and his wife and friends ?

‘Why did he not take his telephone ? From the CCTV footage it’s also clear he didn’t stop for a drink in Pedi or take a rest.

‘He seemed to be walking very determinedly, surely it would have been better to stop and have a coffee or some water but no he decided to carry on.’

Dr Mosley and his wife landed on the 25-square-mile island on Tuesday and were due to stay for a week with a couple who have a holiday home there.

The following day, the group got a boat-taxi to Saint Nicholas Beach. 

Dr Mosley had a swim before setting off in 37C (98F) heat along a well-trodden coastal path to Pedi at around 1.30pm.

Images from Pedi appeared to show Dr Mosley walking through the outskirts of the village, near the marina, around 2pm on Wednesday before his disappearance.

Authorities believe Dr Mosley may have continued north instead of taking the western path towards Symi town, the main town of the island. 

Footage showed Dr Mosley entering a mountain path at about 2pm local time, news agency PA claimed.

The images have helped investigators move on from theories he may have come to harm between the St Nicholas beach and the town of Pedi.

They are now focusing their search on the path out of the town and surrounding areas.

Searches of the sea yesterday saw divers and fishermen join the extensive searches.

But officials have not yet found any clear leads to suggest where he might have travelled next.

Manolis Tsimpoukas, who organises searches for missing people on the Dodecanese Islands, said there has been ‘nothing, nothing’ to narrow the search yet, and that if anything is discovered they will find him within an hour. 

A local restaurant owner, who asked to be named only as Nikos said:’ It’s very strange what has happened, where has he gone to ?

‘It’s only a small island and he was wearing bright clothes, the fire brigade, police and coastguard have been searching for three days and found nothing.

‘They have had a drone up and seen nothing and they have used thermal images as well.

‘It’s all very strange, the path is difficult, but it is doable although I would never do it in the heat of the day.

‘One thing. Thought was strange is that he had an umbrella, I’ve lived her 40 years and I’ve never seen a guy with an umbrella walking though Pedi ladies yes but not men.’

Another rescuer told MailOnline: ‘We will keep going until we find him, there is no way we will call the search off for at least another week, there is always hope.’

Another, asked what he thought happened to Dr Mosley, told MailOnline: ‘What do I think? I think maybe the heat got to him at some stage between the beach and Symi Town. 

‘I think he was hot, he was tired and he had some sort of episode and went into the sea to cool off and then he had a heart attack. I’m sure that in a few days we will know more. It could be very sad for his family.

‘I don’t think anything strange has happened to him. This is Symi: it’s a very small island and people just don’t disappear. There is always hope.’

Arthur Mosley, his brother, said on Friday that Dr Mosley’s three adult sons and one daughter had flown to Greece to join efforts along his route currently being retraced by police.

‘We are very shocked and perplexed by what has happened to him,’ Arthur told The Telegraph. ‘We know as much as what the police and the media has reported, but we are closely following the situation, and hope that there’s a good outcome.

‘Unfortunately, when you get to my age or his age, accidents like this can happen.’

Speaking to The Telegraph, he said the family are ‘naturally hoping for a good outcome’.

He added that when he last spoke to his brother he was on his way to Symi in ‘good spirits’.