Michael Mosley missing UPDATES: Kids join search, snake alerts & 'The Abyss' (2024)

Search team stood down and will resume in the morning as area 'too dangerous' at night

The search for missing Michael Mosley will continue on Sunday morning as efforts were stood down for the night.

Search teams paused the hunt as night fell due to the mountainous area they have been searching being too dangerous to explore at night.

Volunteers and emergency workers continued to search a treacherous mountainous part of the island on Saturday after the 67-year-old TV personality disappeared during a walk on Wednesday.

What is the Abyss that searchers are turning their attention to next?

Search teams are expected to turn their attention next to an area known as 'the Abyss'.

It comes after authorities fear that Dr Mosley could have taken a "wrong turn" onto the "dangerous" path. Authorities initially focused their search by Pedi Bay after a woman reported that she spotted the doctor nearby. However, the rescue operation is now concentrated close to the "bottomless" network of tunnels which "can spread for kilometres".

A waiter who works close by told The Telegraph: “It’s like a deep system of tunnels, but it is full of water and can spread for kilometres. If there is a hole and you fall, you lose your sense of balance and drown there. There is a reason they call it 'The ‘Abyss. There is something very strange going on.”

• Read more on this story here.

Michael's four children join forces with search teams

Michael Mosley's four adult children joined forces with search teams on Saturday.

Alexander, Jack, Daniel and Katherine were thought to be among a small group, including some of their friends, searching a two-mile trail between Pedi and Agia Marina.

Manolis Tsiboukas, coordinator of civil alert in Greece, said: “They are stressing so much for their father. They want to find him as soon as possible.”

Mayor promises to continue search after looking in 'wrong spot'

The mayor of Symi has promised to continue searching for Michael Mosley.

It comes after Eleftherios Papakaloudoukas admitted that rescue teams had searched in the "wrong spot". He stressed how important the operation was and warned "you can’t survive in this weather.”

He told The Sun: "He could have been walking for an hour. The search is covering a 7km stretch. The area is so difficult to walk. It’s so rocky.

“He wouldn’t have known where he was going. He could have got lost.

“Yesterday they were searching the wrong spot. We will not calm the search off but it could conclude today.”

Locals warn rescuers could drown in frightening tunnels dubbed 'The Abyss'

Rescuers have turned their search to a huge stretch of land which has been dubbed 'The Abyss' by residents.

The area, which consists of 'bottomless' tunnels full of water, is extremely hard to navigate, according to locals.

A waiter who works nearby Agia Marina, told The Telegraph: “It’s like a deep system of tunnels, but it is full of water and can spread for kilometres. If there is a hole and you fall, you lose your sense of balance and drown there. There is a reason they call it 'The ‘Abyss. There is something very strange going on.”

Read the full article here: Firefighters plan new search and scour 'Abyss' cave tunnels

Map reveals hotspot locations searched by rescue teams

A map has revealed the locations that rescue teams have targeted following CCTV leads and potential sightings of Dr Mosley.

A huge search operation was launched after the TV doctor was reported missing on Wednesday. Divers, fire crews, sniffer dogs, police and locals have all taken part in the search so far.

A timeline produced by The Mirror, showed the latest developments that have taken place on Saturday, going all the way back to the first day he was reported missing. Read more here: Inside the desperate search for Dr Michael Mosley four days after disappearing

Mayor reveals thermal imaging helicopter is on its way

The mayor of Symi has confirmed that a thermal-imaging helicopter will be arriving soon.

It comes after sniffer dogs struggled to work through the stifling heat after temperatures soared into the 40s. One rescue worker, who took part in the search for three hours, said it was "very hot".

In response to whether the woman would suggest the area to people as a trekking route, she told Sky News: “No, absolutely not. Not without equipment and special shoes.”

Firefighters issue warning on 'dangerous' search

A firefighter has warned how his colleagues will face "dangerous" obstacles during the search operation.

Stergos Giakoumakis said from near one of the peaks: “Because it’s not so easy to bring here 100 people, especially this period, because it’s the most dangerous period. Everything is dry and it is too dangerous for firemen to search.”

Search and rescue crews have been working in soaring temperatures of 40C. Firefighters having been using umbrellas to protect themselves as there is no shade or path near the top of the hill that sits between Pedi bay and Agia Marina, where they believe Mosley could have walked.

Pictures show emergency helicopter flying over Pedi

An emergency helicopter was spotted in Symi as the search entered its fourth day today.

The helicopter was seen flying over Pedi bay towards the mountainous terrain where the hunt for Mosley is being carried out at around 3.20pm local time. It comes as police and firefighters have been using drones to scour the island.

Disappearance ‘cut and paste’ case of missing dad last seen five years ago

The disappearance of the popular doctor likens to the case of a missing dad who was last seen five years ago, according to his family.

John Tossell, 78, from Bridgend, went missing on the Greek island of Zakynthos five years ago this month. His son Gary said he "vanished into thin air" after he went for a stroll whilst on holiday with his partner Gillian. Police called off the search after five days.

Gary told Sky News: "When I read the story it's like a cut and paste of my father. He went for a walk and he vanished into thin air. As a family, we got together and said this is surreal. It's the same story but a different person."

He continued: "I wish nothing but love to the Mosley family as I know exactly what they're going through and it must be awful for them out there at the minute. I want to tell them not to give up."

Symi mayor says 'troubling questions remain'

The mayor of Symi has shared his concerns about the missing case so far and said "troubling questions" remain about Dr Mosley's disappearance.

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

He continued: “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.”

Dermot O'Leary breaks silence on missing This Morning star

Dermot O'Leary has broken his silence on missing This Morning star Michael Mosley with some powerful words.

The missing person case was discussed on the daytime show, with Dermot, Alison Hammond, Vanessa Feltz and Nick Ferrari discussing the situation.

Vanessa because emotional as she explained how she knew Michael while Dermot said: "We can only hope and pray and send our love to all his loved ones that he's found."

Dermot O'Leary breaks silence on missing This Morning star Michael Mosley with powerful words

No shade along harsh hilly terrain

There is no path or shade near the top of the hill between Pedi bay and Agia Marina, where rescue workers believe Michael Mosley may have been trying to walk to.

The area is almost entirely made up of rocks and large boulders, along with a few small shrubs.

The hills where search for Michael Mosley goes on

Rescuers in Symi fear TV doctor Michael Mosley may have taken a wrong turn, which would have sent him along a three-hour long mountain path.

Army of rescuers scour the island

Red Cross teams are among those braving the stifling heat to search for Michael Mosley in the mountains today.

New areas of the hills are now being searched, after CCTV footage suggested he took a different path than first thought after his disappearance on Wednesday.

Firefighters speak of harsh conditions in mountain search

The search for Michael Mosley is taking place in sweltering heatwave conditions - meaaning rescuers in the mountains are having to take precautions for their own safety too.

One firefighter said there were 10 of his colleagues searching multiple summits because it was too dangerous for large crews to work during the summer months.

Stergos Giakoumakis said from near one of the peaks: "Because it's not so easy to bring here 100 people, especially this period, because it's the most dangerous period.

"Everything is dry and it is too dangerous for firemen to search."

A different team worked in the morning and there was a half-hour handover, he said.

TV star 'took turn down wrong path'

The family of missing TV presenter Michael Mosley are "hoping for a good outcome" as searchers believe he took a disastrous wrong turn.

His brother Arthur said the presenter's three adult sons and one daughter flew out to Greece in an effort to help search for any trace of his whereabouts.

Mosley's last known movements on the island of Symi are being retraced by police.

Michael Mosley's family 'hoping for good outcome' as he 'turned down wrong path'

Michael Mosley's wife breaks silence as search goes on

Michael Mosley's wife has spoken out as the search for her missing husband on the Greek island of Symi entered a fourth day.

In a moving statement, the first released publicly since her husband went missing, Dr Bailey Mosley said: "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.

"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."

Michael Mosley's wife breaks silence as search goes on in Greece for missing star

Red Cross take to the hills in Michael Mosley search

A Greek Red Cross team dressed in red climbing gear have searched the hills around Symi for Michael Mosley.

New CCTV footage of Michael Mosley

Missing TV doctor Michael Mosley has been spotted in new CCTV footage from Greek island he vanished on.

He can be seen next to a marina in the village of Pedi in the footage from Wednesday, and is walking towards rocky hills.

Missing Michael Mosley seen in new CCTV from Greek island he vanished on

Search across the mountains for TV doctor continues

Police and firefighters have been using drones to scour the Symi island, which is part of the Dodecanese island chain and is about 25 miles north of Rhodes.

Where is Pedi? The town where Michael Mosley was last seen

Pedi is a a smalll fishing village Symi, an island off the coast of Rhodes in Greece.

A search and rescue operation is currently under way for TV doctor and columnist Michael Mosley, who was last seen in the area on Wednesday.

'No chance' of search for Michael Mosley being called off insists island's mayor

The mayor of the Greek Island where British TV doctor Michael Mosley is missing has said there is "no chance" the search will be called off until he is found.

Eleftherios Papakaloudoukas, the mayor of Symi, vowed to continue the extensive search operation which has involved police, firefighters with drones, and divers.

But speaking through a translator, the mayor of 22 years questioned how anyone could survive in the heat that topped 40C on the day Mosley disappeared.

A search dog was only able to work for an hour on Saturday morning due to the temperature, as the search resumed, he added. Mosley's four children have arrived on Symi and are set to help with the search.

'No chance' of search for Michael Mosley being called off insists island's mayor

Michael Mosley's family sent moving message from son of Brit missing in Greece

The family of Michael Mosley have been sent a message from the son of a Brit who vanished in 2019 as the search continues to the TV doctor.

BBC presenter Mosley, 67, was last seen walking near Saint Nikolas Beach on the Greek island of Symi earlier this week. Sniffer dogs, divers and police officers have been brought in to try and find the missing presenter.

Gary, the son of John Tossell, 78, who vanished on the Greek island of Zakynthos in 2019, told Mosley's family to not give up hope. In an interview, Gary said the case sounded very similar to what happened to his family years ago.

"When I read the story, it's like a cut and past of my father," he said, speaking to Sky about Mosley's disappearance. "It's the same story but a different person.

Michael Mosley's family sent moving message from son of Brit missing in Greece

Cafe where Dr Mosley was seen on CCTV

New pictures show Blue Corner Cafe on Pedi beach, where Dr Mosley was spotted on CCTV.

Yesterday, a clip shared exclusively with The Mirror from outside the cafe showed Dr Mosley carrying an umbrella to shield him from the sun at 1.52pm. He did not look as though he has sustained any injuries.

Mayor of small village at centre of search

The Mayor of Symi, Eleftherios Papakaloudoukas, has seen international media attention descend on his small island since Michael Mosley was reported missing on Wednesday.

Yesterday he said firefighters involved in the search told him that due to the small size of the Pedi area of the island and its relatively dense population, they would likely found him in the vicinity by now. Search teams have now isolated the search to other areas of Symi.

Footpath where TV star thought to have headed into hills

Another picture from Symi shows a footpath which Dr Michael Mosley was believed to have used when he walked into the hills.

House where Michael Mosley was last spotted pictured

New photos from the island show the house on the edge of Pedi where Dr Michael Mosley was last captured on CCTV as he walked into the hills.

Islanders join search

Mika Papakalodouka, the daughter of Symi's mayor, said that "a lot of" island residents had joined the search using their own boats over the past two days.

Police combing the island of Symi for Dr Michael Mosley have now called off their water search, are are understood to be concentrating their efforts on a road.

Michael Mosley told wife he 'wasn't feeling well' before going missing

Michael Mosley had described feeling unwell in the hours before he went missing, it has been claimed.

Speaking to TalkTV, Greek journalist Ioanna Niaoti said: “He stated this to his wife and the other couple that he wasn’t feeling well and wanted to return to where they were staying.”

She also said that officers believed "nothing can be ruled out" in the search and "all scenarios are open".