The desperate five-day search for Dr Michael Mosley that ended in tragedy: How Mail columnist may have died less than two hours after leaving his wife on the beach and attempting tough mountain walk before his body was finally found

Hopes that missing Mail columnist Dr Michael Mosley would be discovered alive after he went missing were tragically dashed by the discovery of his body after a desperate five-day search.

It is now believed that Dr. Mosley died less than two hours after leaving his wife from St Nicholas beach on the Greek island of Symi at 1.30pm last Wednesday.

His wife Dr. Clare Bailey had waved goodbye to him after spending the morning with friends on the idyllic beach after arriving the day before for a week’s holiday.

The father of four children, Dr. Mosley, left with a single bottle of water but crucially no phone, saying he was heading to the three-bedroom Merchant House apartment in Symi where they were staying with friends.

They had only arrived the day before at what Dr. Mosely’s second trip to the tranquil Dodecanese island, after their first visit eight years ago.

Dr. Michael, whose death has been confirmed at the age of 67, was last seen last Wednesday

His body was discovered this morning after a five-day search here on the Greek island of Symi

Local residents raised the alarm after the mayor of Symi saw something he called ‘unusual’

The walk from St. Nicholas to Pedi is about a mile and took Dr. Mosley for no more than 15 minutes, being spotted by CCTV at several points as he walked along the waterfront.

The police were able to track him down thanks to a distinctive umbrella he was carrying, after being informed by an employee of the St. Nicholas beach bar.

He was seen on CCTV walking past the Kamares coffee shop at 1.42pm that dayand five minutes later he was spotted by cameras at Katsaras restaurant.

He was then photographed walking past the Blue Corner Cafe at 1.52pm, before the final CCTV image at 2pm showed him walking past a supermarket owner’s house.

Two security guards looking out for a fast inflatable boat caught him as he walked past and headed to the start of the path to Agia Marina.

With temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius and with a warning for extreme heat from the Greek meteorological After the service, Dr. left. Mosley to Symi, but made the mistake of taking a difficult mountain route.

Once in Pedi there was an easy option to return to Symi, via the main road – although not as scenic, it offers shelter and places to stop for rest and water.

Instead, Dr. decided. Mosley and take the inland route that climbs from Pedi to a height of about 60 meters before descending to an artificial beach at Agia Marina.

Greek police have confirmed that the body found today is that of Dr. Michael Mosley is (photo)

It is believed that he was heading for Symi, but he made the mistake of taking a difficult mountain route

This map shows the different paths across the Greek island that were available

It was here that Dr Mosley’s body was sadly found just after 10am on Sunday, after Mayor Lefterios Papakalodoukas noticed something ‘unusual’ from the sea as he sailed away following media interviews.

Mr Papakalodoukas had spoken to reporters on the beach while standing just meters from where Dr.’s body was found. Mosley would be found minutes later.

After finishing the interviews, he got back into a boat and headed back to Pedi he turned around and something ‘unusual’ caught his attention.

Greek TV crews zoomed in and told him it looked like a body, and he immediately alerted a nearby restaurant whose waiter Ilias Tsavaris was sent to investigate.

He ran there and was struck by the sun shining on Dr. Mosely glittered. As he got closer, he realized with horror that it was the missing health guru.

Journalists stood right behind him and saw the look of horror on the waiter’s face as he led them away. They then called the police, who arrived twenty minutes later.

The body was located close to the fence of the beach restaurant and no more than 30 meters away from where holidaymakers had been enjoying the sun.

In another twist, a police officer at the scene suffered a suspected broken leg when he jumped off a wall close to the body and had to be removed. carried away on a stretcher.

Customers continued to order lunch, while others swam or played beach volleyball as forensic teams and emergency services began their grim task.

Claire Bailey (right) has paid tribute to her ‘brilliant’ husband Dr. Michael Mosley (left) – seen together on ITV’s This Morning in June 2019

Police officers and search teams have been searching for Dr. Mosley for five days

Tributes have been paid after the death was confirmed of Michael Mosley, pictured here on ITV show Loose Women on February 2 this year

Dr. Mosley stayed on the Greek island of Symi, his second visit there

Photos were taken of the body and the scene by officials wearing gloves and face masks, while it appeared his backpack was not found near his body.

A female researcher could clearly be seen picking up the khaki backpack and holding it up about twenty feet away from the body.

What researchers will now try and In summary now is how and why Dr. Mosley ended up where he was and why his body had not been seen during searches.

It is thought that he managed to climb the slope of Pedi to the top of the hill overlooking Agia Marina, but what is not clear is why he then decided to walk along the edge of the restaurant.

A more obvious route would be a signposted path to the restaurant, which overlooks a small island, before continuing the walk to Simi harbour.

Guides describe the walk as walking through a ‘desert mountain landscape’, with much of the path being ‘stony to very stony underfoot’.

One describes ‘false paths that can mislead’ while being ‘stony and uncomfortable’, adding that there is ‘little vegetation’ along the route with only sheep and goats for company.

The question for investigators is to try to understand why he was found where he was. Did he slip and fall trying to reach the water? Did he have some form of attack? Why did a helicopter that flew over several times on Saturday not notice him?

Local cameraman Antonios broke down in tears as he spoke about the discovery of the body

Agia Marina bar manager Ilias Tsavaris was also among those who raised the alarm this morning

Dr. Mosley is said to have hiked through treacherous mountain terrain on the island

A drone footage shows rescue teams arriving to transfer the body after this morning’s discovery

Dr. Mosley’s TV series includes Inside The Human Body, about the ‘last breath’ of a dying man

Dr. Michael Mosley and his wife Claire Bailey were married for forty years

A Greek Coast Guard ship carrying the body is docked on the island of Symi

Claire Bailey said of her husband Dr Michael Mosley (pictured): ‘He made an incredible climb, took the wrong route and collapsed where he couldn’t easily be seen’

What is clear is that, tragically, it appears that Dr. Mosley tragically passed away within two hours of departure.

A waiter at Agia Marina told MailOnline: ‘I just can’t believe it. He was so close to us all those days.

‘They searched the area on foot and the helicopter flew over on Saturday. How was he missed?’

But for now, these questions will be far from the heartbroken family’s thoughts as they gather and mourn a devoted father and husband.