Everything we know about missing doctor Tom Doherty as search enters fourth day
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It is now over 60 hours since a retired British doctor disappeared in the French Pyrenees during a hiking trip, with his family continuing to issue appeals for information.
Tom Doherty last contacted his family via Whatsapp at 7.07pm on Tuesday to ask for help, telling them he had fallen and could not move.
Since then, French authorities have mobilised a large search effort with helicopters and dogs and have recovered his tent and car, yet the 67-year-old remains lost.
Here’s everything we know so far about his disappearance:
When did he go missing?
An experienced hiker, Mr Doherty set off from his holiday home near Bergerac on Saturday, and started a walking trip through the French Pyrenees.
Anne Doherty, his wife, told FranceInfo that she knew her husband had been in Ax-les-Thermes, a ski resort in the Ariege department, near Andorra, earlier in the week.
“We know this because he went hiking and camping. Every day we received photos and messages,” she told the outlet.
The friend of one of Mr Doherty’s daughters initially said in a missing persons appeal that his last known location was Étang du Comté, where authorities were able to geolocate an image he sent from Sunday.
“He is likely to be in/close to Ariège, in the Occitanie region,” she said.
When did his family last hear from him?
Tom Doherty’s daughter, Rachel, said her dad had been active on the group chat during his trip, sending pictures of the scenery in southern France.
“He was sending us a few pictures of the scenery and then on Tuesday afternoon sent us one of clouds coming over the top of a mountain. He said ‘bu**er’,” she said.
“The last time we heard from him was Tuesday. He told us he had fallen and couldn’t move. That’s all we’ve had since. The search party found a tent and his car.”
“We’re obviously very worried and extremely concerned for his welfare.”
His family have released the final messages he sent before he disappeared, and their subsequent attempts to contact him failed to receive an answer.
How have the French authorities responded?
Since Tuesday, emergency services have deployed specialist rescuers, helicopters and dogs to try and find the doctor but to no avail.
They have located his tent and his car, which was found near Col d’Escots, also in the Ariege region, but foggy conditions in the last days have made the search difficult.
According to his family, the retired doctor was a respected consultant of Tropical medicine who worked around the world and specialised in Malaria.
Since retiring almost a decade ago, he has spent most of his time in France.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British man missing in France and are in touch with the local authorities.”
Anyone who may have information on Mr Doherty’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Gendarmerie (French police) directly on 05 61 64 20 17.
