A huge search operation is underway for Dr Michael Mosley, the Mail columnist and TV diet guru, who disappeared after a stroll along the coast on a Greek resort island.
Police fear Dr Mosley, 67, may have “fallen from a height” after going for a walk on St Nicholas beach in Symi at 1.30pm on Wednesday.
His wife, Dr Clare Bailey, 62, raised the alarm after he failed to return at 7.30pm and local authorities began tracing the route overnight but were unable to locate him.
This is the photo of Dr Mosley released with an appeal after he went missing while walking on holiday in Greece on Wednesday. Has not been found yet
Dr Mosley went missing this week while on holiday and a massive search is underway. Michael and his wife Clare (pictured together) have just completed a national tour together called Eat (Better), Sleep (well), Live (longer)
Athens has assembled a search and rescue team for the Mail columnist, with drones and sophisticated equipment to extend the operation this morning.
Meanwhile, a community Facebook group in Symi asked for information and uploaded a photo of Dr Mosley in shorts, a blue polo shirt, a baseball cap and sunglasses.
They wrote: ‘Have you seen this man? At around 1.30pm he set out to return from St Nick’s and did not make it home.
‘His friends are worried because it’s been 6 hours since they last saw him.
‘His name is Dr Mike Mosley and he is a familiar face to many Brits, having appeared on the BBC.
“The police and coastguard have been informed that EMAK, the island’s rescue team, is also involved.”
The Mail understands the police are leading the investigation, indicating they believe he has gone missing on land, but the coastguard is helping. Police at Athens headquarters said they too were aware and were “actively pursuing the case.”
Chief police spokesperson Constantina Dimoglidou said ongoing searches that began early this morning have yet to turn up any findings.
‘I was on Ag. Nikolas beach with another couple when he decided to return to his home in the Pedi area of Symi. It was around 1:30 p.m. and he forgot his phone on the beach. Each and every attempt to locate him has produced no results.
“We have now asked the fire brigade to assist in the operation in case you have slipped, tripped, fallen or even been bitten by a snake and been injured somewhere.”
‘There’s just no trace of him. “None at all and that means that, at least for us, all potential scenarios are open and being investigated.”
Temperatures on the island, which lies off the coast of Rhodes, reached 30 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) yesterday and remained warm overnight.
Dr. Mosley was on vacation with his wife after completing a cross-country tour together called: “Eat Well, Sleep Better, Live Longer.”
He is well known for his dietary advice, including his intermittent fasting plans, The Fast 800, and the 5:2 Diet, as well as advocating ketogenic and low-carb diets.
He also published a book about using diet to improve sleep, called Fast Asleep, after revealing that he suffered from chronic insomnia.
Dr Mosley is well known for his health advice, particularly on fasting, diet and sleep, and is one of the most trusted and authoritative medical voices in the British media and around the world.
The Mail columnist is on holiday with his wife Clare on the Greek island of Symi (file image), off the coast of Rhodes.
Dr Mosley appears regularly on his Just One Thing podcast and has become one of Britain’s most recognizable TV doctors.
He studied PPE at Oxford and initially tried working as an investment banker.
It was then that he retrained as a doctor and graduated after studying medicine at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
Dr Mosley joined the BBC as a trainee production assistant and, after producing programs for the broadcaster, became an on-screen presenter.
His wife, Dr Bailey, is a GP and also a Mail columnist.