Police hunt lacking British vacationer, 79, who has not been seen since disappearing in Spain three days in the past
Spanish police have launched an urgent search for a 79-year-old British tourist who has not been seen since vanishing three days ago.
Iain Stanley, 79, was last seen near the Perla Marina Hotel in Nerja on the eastern end of the Costa del Sol on February 11.
He is understood to have disappeared after leaving a holiday home in the holiday resort, with the last sighting recorded at about 2pm that day.
His wife reported him missing on Thursday and the Civil Guard has now launched an investigation to try to establish what happened.
A taxi driver has been questioned by investigators after saying he believed he had taken a man matching his description to the nearby town of Torrox, but cops are understood to have reached the conclusion it was a false lead.
Mr Stanley, said to be in good health despite his age, was wearing black jeans, a shirt and a blue jacket when he was last seen. He was without his mobile phone or his passport.
News of his disappearance is now circulating in several local expat Facebook groups, with relatives also appealing for information on his whereabouts.
It was not immediately clear this afternoon where in the UK Mr Stanley is from. One well-wisher who helped by publishing the appeal on social media said he was in Nerja for a two-month holiday.
Iain Stanley, 79, was last seen near the Perla Marina Hotel in Nerja on the eastern end of the Costa del Sol on February 11
Last Saturday a British holidaymaker was airlifted to hospital after dramatically being found in a ravine in Tenerife nearly 30 hours after she went missing during a three-hour hike.
An appeal had been put out a day earlier for information on Susan Hornsby, 76, from Dorset after she disappeared on the Friday morning during a trip to the island with her husband Peter.
Worried Louise Bakewell said in a first online message: ‘Can anyone help? My sister in law’s mother Susan Hornsby, aged 76, has gone missing in Tenerife after a walk on her own. She was wearing a red coat and white hat.
‘We have contacted the police but the language barrier is difficult. Any help would be wonderful thank you.’
In an update just before she was located, she added: ’27 hours still missing.
‘Set off at 10am on a three-hour hike.
‘At midday sent an email saying she needed medical help. Police are involved. British embassy in Tenerife closes at the weekend.
‘If anyone is able to help in any way that would be wonderful. It is a well known walking route.’
Around 2pm local time on Saturday afternoon Louise revealed the pensioner had been found alive and was being airlifted to hospital.
She said: ‘I managed to find her IMEI number and she’s just been found, alive after 28 hours.
‘She is being airlifted to hospital. I’m so relieved.
‘She was found in a ravine and has been airlifted to hospital. That’s all I know at the moment.’
In a subsequent update on a Facebook group dedicated to giving assistance for people reported as missing in Tenerife where she had first raised the alarm, she added: ‘She’s been found alive. And being airlifted to hospital.
‘Thank you so much for all your help and advice. What a wonderful group of people – my faith in humanity well and truly restored. Thank you �� ❤️.
‘Just to clarify- she went off on a walk alone and then became unwell. She did not have find my iPhone enabled on her phone- please tell your friends and relatives to always enable this if they can, just to be safe.’
