More tourists missing on Greek islands after body of American found

Another tourist has been found dead on a Greek island and three others are missing amid a wave of casualties believed to be linked to rising temperatures.

The tourist, who was identified as a 55-year-old American by local media but has not yet been named, was last seen on Tuesday. His body was found in the sea by a swimmer near the port of Mathraki.

His death follows those of television presenter and newspaper columnist Dr Michael Mosley, who was found dead last Sunday on the island of Symi five days after his wife reported him missing, and a 74-year-old Dutchman.

Mosley reportedly died of heat exhaustion after walking in 40°C heat.

The Dutchman was found dead on Saturday by Samos firefighters.

At the same time, two French women aged 73 and 64 are also missing on Sikinos, a small island in the Aegean Sea, and searches are underway to find another tourist in Amorgos.

Most of them were attempting hikes under the blazing sun, as much of Greece saw record temperatures for the first week of June, reaching 43°C (109°F) in many parts of the country.

Meteorologists noted that it was the first heatwave on record – which for Greece means temperatures above 38C for at least three days.

Dimitris Kalatzis, who led the Samos search team, told Greek media that rescue missions were often made more difficult because foreign tourists go in search of tourist spots, ignoring the dangers of walking in the heat, and get lost.

On Friday, local authorities began searching for the two French tourists after one of them sent a distress message to the owner of the hotel where she was staying.

On the rugged island of Amorgos, an intense search continues for another American tourist, Albert Calibet, 59, who went missing while hiking on the small island last week.

A former deputy with the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, Mr. Calibet has been missing since Tuesday.

Mr. Calibet had traveled to the island from Los Angeles. An experienced walker, he sets off from the northern village of Aegiali around 7 a.m. for the port of Katapola, a path that normally takes about four hours on foot.

Calls to the two cell phones he was carrying went unanswered.

“We’re almost three days here,” his brother, Oliver Calibet, told Fox 11 TV last week. ” There is no water. I am very upset.

When asked what he thought might have happened, a tearful Oliver replied: “I don’t know. My hands are tied.”

A woman who runs a small shop said she sold him water and refreshments around 11am. Sofia Liviaki told Greek television that the American drank a soft drink and bought a bottle of water to take with him for the walk.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Deputy Calibet’s family and friends and we hope to bring him home safe and sound,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

Although temperatures in Greece cooled this weekend, they are expected to exceed 30C all week, according to the Met Office. As temperatures reached 43°C last week, authorities closed schools and the Acropolis in Athens, the country's most visited site.

Earlier this month, a 67-year-old Dutch tourist died of a heart attack while walking through the Mylon Gorge in Crete and a 70-year-old French tourist collapsed and died while walking. was walking on a deserted beach on the island.

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