A British mountaineer has gone missing in the French Alps and has not been heard from for two weeks, while his desperate family have raised the alarm about his disappearance.
Kirk Handley’s family reported him missing on September 13 when he failed to return from his attempt to scale the 11,000-foot glacial summit of Pic du Glacier d’Arsine in the French Alps, local media reported.
The 60-year-old from Yorkshire has not been heard from since September 7, but it is unclear why the search for Handley has only been launched now, after his family raised the alarm almost two weeks ago.
French authorities were called Sunday when residents in the town of Villar-d’Arene, about 29 miles from Briançon, noticed Handley’s rental car had not moved from its parking spot since earlier this month.
Mr Handley had left a note in the vehicle announcing his planned absence from 7 to 10 September. He had also described his hiking route to the Pic du Glacier d’Arsine.
Kirk Handley (pictured) was reported missing by his family on September 13 when he failed to return from his attempt to scale the 11,000ft glacial summit of Pic du Glacier d’Arsine in the French Alps, local media reported.
Local police on Monday opened an investigation into Mr Handley’s disappearance.
His last known whereabouts by investigators were Villar-d’Arène, from where he “left on foot towards the Col d’Arsine, according to the high mountain gendarmerie platoon (PGHM) of Briançon.”
On Monday, Handley’s camp (a temporary shelter or sleeping camp) was discovered on the Pic d’Arsine and near the Pic de Neige Cordier.
Authorities said Tuesday that emergency services have not yet been able to locate Handley.
French police this week launched an appeal for witnesses and shared a photograph of Handley, whom the force referred to as a “mountain dweller.”
The search is set to resume on Wednesday, this time with the help of a helicopter after it was unable to take off due to bad weather conditions on Tuesday, a PGHM lieutenant told local media.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who is missing in France and are in contact with local authorities.”
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