Three missing tourists found dead in one week on Greek islands


This article was originally published in English

An American tourist missing in Mathraki was found dead on Sunday, according to the Greek channel Skai news, already the third in just a week. A search operation continues to find two missing French tourists on the Greek island of Sikinos.

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The 55-year-old disappeared from his hotel on the Greek island of Mithraki last Tuesday and was found dead on Sunday, according to Corfu TV news.

His death is the third in the country in recent weeks.

On Saturday, a 74-year-old Dutch man was found dead on the island of Samos after walking alone in the southwest of the island. His body was found in a ravine.

British TV doctor Michael Mosley was found dead on the island of Symi a week ago. Symi Mayor Lefteris Papakalodoukas told Sky news that Mosley had apparently rolled down a steep slope.

Several tourists are currently missing in the country.

Another American tourist, Albert Calibet, 59, went missing on the island of Amorgos after a hike.

According to ABC News, several of Calibet’s family members and friends traveled to Greece to search for the retired police officer, who is originally from Los Angeles County.

Furthermore, a search operation is continuing to find two missing French tourists on the Greek island of Sikinos, according to local media.

The rescue mission will involve volunteers, firefighters and a police team from the neighboring island of Ios. The two women, aged 73 and 64, were visiting Greece from France.

News channel Cyclades24 said the women were staying in different hotels but were apparently related to each other.

Authorities warn of heat risk

Deputy mayor for tourism of Amorgos, Popi Despotidi, told iefimerida.gr that Calibet’s disappearance could have been caused by the heat.

“These days it is unbearably hot on the island. We are considering all possibilities,” Mr Despotidi said.

An urgent warning has been issued to visitors as Greece experiences an unusually early heatwave, with temperatures reaching up to 44.5C in the town of Chania, in north-west Crete.

Greece has long suffered from intense heat spells, but none have been recorded this early in the summer season, according to the national weather service, EMY.

Athens’ Acropolis and several other tourist destinations were forced to close this week after people fainted while queuing in sweltering temperatures.

Heat wave in Cyprus

In Cyprus, a health official said Sunday that a second elderly person had died of heatstroke after a week of heatwave that broke temperature records for June.

An 84-year-old woman died a day after being admitted to hospital on Friday, State Health Services Organization spokesman Charalambos Charilaou said. He added that three other elderly patients were in serious condition.

Temperatures on the island have been soaring all week, exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.

Additional sources • adaptation: Serge Duchêne

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