Wife of missing Michael Mosley speaks of “unbearable” wait

The wife of a British television presenter who went missing in Greece has spoken out about the family’s ordeal.

Michael Mosley, 67, is a TV doctor who has been missing on the island of Symi since Wednesday. His wife, Dr. Clare Bailey, was joined by their four children on Saturday to help with the search efforts.

“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,” Bailey told the Daily Mail in a statement. “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.”

The health expert was seen on CCTV footage in nearby Pedi after setting off from St Nicholas Beach a little less than a mile away. He was staying there with his wife and another couple.

Local authorities have presumed he was headed towards a treacherous mountain path.

With soaring summer temperatures and poisonous snakes in the area, Symi’s mayor warned the search for Mosley was now a “race against time.”

Mayor Eleftherios Papakaloudoukas told Sky News on Saturday that there was “no chance” they would stop looking for the 67-year-old until they found him.

The mayor’s daughter Mika added that locals were helping to locate Mosley.

“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.

A rescuer also told Sky News, “The path is not easy to follow, if he took a wrong turn, he would be lost. He could be anywhere, it is a race against time.”

Search efforts have so far included divers, helicopters and drones. However, one rescue dog could only work for about an hour because the temperature was too high, hitting 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

Papakaloudoukas questioned why Mosley allegedly attempted to walk the dangerous path, especially without his cell phone.

“Only a few locals know it and although it is marked you can easily get lost and it’s not wise [t]o walk it in the middle of the afternoon in temperatures approaching 40C (104F),” he told Daily Mail.

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

Newsweek has contacted the British Embassy in Greece for comment via email.

Mosley has worked for the BBC as a journalist and presenter since 1985 after attending medical school. He also became known for promoting the 5:2 intermittent fasting diet.