By Lucy Caulkett-
As the relentless Greek sun beats down, search and rescue teams are tirelessly scouring the island of Symi for missing TV doctor Michael Mosley.
A newly surfaced CCTV image shows the 67-year-old near a marina in the village of Pedi, heading towards the island’s rocky hills, marking the last known sighting of him.
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The search operation, involving helicopters, drones, and search dogs, was launched after local police were alerted to Dr. Mosley’s disappearance on Wednesday. The renowned British doctor, known for his work on the television series “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor,” was last seen leaving a beach on foot.
Authorities have pulled out all the stops to find Dr. Mosley. Firefighters and police have been using drones to comb the Dodecanese island, located approximately 25 miles north of Rhodes. The search has also seen the deployment of divers and significant involvement from local residents.
Symi’s long-serving mayor, Eleftherios Papakaloudoukas, has committed to continuing the exhaustive search. Through a translator, he expressed grave concerns about Dr. Mosley’s survival prospects in the severe heat, which soared above 40°C on the day he vanished.
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A crucial piece of evidence emerged from the St Nikolas Beach restaurant. Owner Grini Kaurmadia reported that their security camera captured footage of Dr. Mosley using the restaurant’s bathroom around 1 PM on Wednesday.
This footage has been handed over to the local police, who have since visited the restaurant to gather more information from the staff.
The small island community of Symi has rallied together in the search. Mika Papakalodouka, the mayor’s daughter, told the PA news agency that many islanders have joined the effort, with some even using their personal boats. “It is a small island, people talk. We’re good people here. Everybody is looking for him. It’s such a small island to get lost on. It’s so weird for us. Everybody is worried and looking for him,” she said.
Dr. Mosley’s wife, Dr. Clare Bailey, and their four children have flown to Symi to aid in the search. Dr. Bailey raised the alarm when her husband failed to return to their lodgings after six hours on Wednesday. The family has been actively involved in the search efforts, joining the locals and authorities in their determined quest to find him.
The rugged terrain and extreme heat pose significant challenges. On Saturday morning, the search teams had to adapt their strategy, with individual firefighters covering vast and dangerous areas of steep, rocky ground on their own. A firefighter involved in the search described the difficulty, noting that it was too perilous for large crews to operate together in the summer heat.
The island of Symi, known for its picturesque beauty and tight-knit community, now stands united in a desperate bid to locate the beloved TV doctor.
Dr. Mosley’s disappearance has cast a pall over the idyllic island, but the collective hope and determination of Symi’s residents and the efforts of the search teams offer a glimmer of hope that he will be found safe.
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