Dr Michael Mosley’s wife Clare tragically confirms missing TV doc found dead as she pays tribute to ‘wonderful’ husband
DR Michael Mosley’s wife has tragically confirmed her “brilliant” and “wonderful” husband has been found dead.
Clare Bailey shared her agony over today’s discovery but said: “I feel so lucky to have had this life with Michael.”
A body was discovered this morning in rocky, barren land and only a 30 minute walk from where Michael, 67, was last seen.
Clare, 62, who has been married to the TV doctor for nearly 40 years, has now confirmed the body belonged to her husband.
Before today’s discovery, she told the world she wouldn’t “lose hope” after her husband waved goodbye to her before seemingly vanishing on the Greek island of Symi on Wednesday.
The health expert’s disappearance sparked a major five-day search operation involving helicopters, divers, dogs, and drones and most of the tiny island’s 2,600 population.
In a heartbreaking statement shared with The Sun today, she thanked all those who had helped in the search for Michael, who was beloved by fans for his documentaries, hit podcast and health advice.
She said: “I don’t know quite where to begin with this. It’s devastating to have lost Michael, my wonderful, funny, kind and brilliant husband.
“We had an incredibly lucky life together. We loved each other very much and were so happy together. I am incredibly proud of our children, their resilience and support over the past days.
He did an incredible climb, took the wrong route and collapsed where he couldn’t be easily seen
Dr Clare Bailey
“My family and I have been hugely comforted by the outpouring of love from people from around the world. It’s clear that Michael meant a huge amount to so many of you.
“We’re taking comfort in the fact that he so very nearly made it.
“He did an incredible climb, took the wrong route and collapsed where he couldn’t be easily seen by the extensive search team.”
“Michael was an adventurous man, it’s part of what made him so special.
“We are so grateful to the extraordinary people on Symi who have worked tirelessly to help find him.
“Some of these people on the island, who hadn’t even heard of Michael, worked from dawn till dusk unasked. We’re also very grateful to The Press who have dealt with us with great respect.
“I feel so lucky to have our children and my amazing friends. Most of all, I feel so lucky to have had this life with Michael.”
The pair met at medical school and have been together for 44 years ever since.
Tragically, Michael’s body was found just 100 yards from the path between between Agia Marina and Symi Town that rescuers took to retrace his possible last steps.
His body was roughly only 100 yards away from the beach and close to a dangerous cave complex known to locals as “The Abyss”.
Police spokesperson Konstantina Dimoglou told The Sun earlier today: “He was found close to a cave. How long he had survived there is hard to tell but he had walked a very long way.
“He was close to where he wanted to get to.”
The Brit presenter, known for his appearances on The One Show and This Morning, had been last seen in CCTV footage at 2pm on Wednesday leaving the village of Pedi and headed towards a rocky path.
The mayor of Symi, Eleftherios Papakalodouk added: “We analysed the recorded evidence and it was obvious that it was, unfortunately, Mosley.”
The mayor said he was on a boat when he spotted a body lying 20m above the Agia Marina beach and called a nearby bar to have a look.
“We zoomed with the cameras and saw it was him,” he said.
Ilias Tsavaris, 38, the barman who first discovered Michael’s body on the rocky ground, told The Sun: “I walked up 30 metres and I saw an image of a person…
“I went closer and closer…And then I saw what I saw.
“You don’t see a dead body everyday, it is not a warzone, it’s summer you are supposed to have fun and swimming.”
Michael is believed to have taken a fatal wrong turn on a walk after leaving Clare at 1.30pm on Wednesday to walk inland.
All he had with him was an umbrella, his watch, rucksack, wallet and a bottle of water.
His body remained undiscovered until Sunday morning.
His body was removed at 2.50pm, several hours after he was originally found.
Officials, including forensics teams and firefighters, were seen looking into a rucksack near the body before it was taken away and sent on a boat believed to be headed for Rhodes.
Mayor Papakalodoukas told Sky News there were no signs of injury on the body.
‘UNBEARABLE DAYS’
On Saturday, Clare spoke out for the first time to describe the search for her missing husband “as the longest and most unbearable days for myself and my children”.
In an emotional statement, she said: “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.
“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 pair met at medical school and have been together for 44 years ever since.
Timeline of Dr Mosley's disappearance
WEDNESDAY JUNE 5
- 1.30pm: Dr Mosley decides to walk home alone to his holiday home in the town of Symi after going for a swim at a beach
- 1.50pm: The walk home is said to take around 20 minutes from Saint Nikolaos beach despite the doctor never making it back
- 1.52pm: CCTV catches Dr Mosley walking past a shop in Pedi
- Approx 2.20pm: Witnesses claim to have seen Dr Mosley talking to an elderly man in the town with one other person present
- 2.30pm-5pm: Doc was last seen on a house camera on a treacherous path heading towards the Agia Marina
- 7.30pm: Dr Mosley’s wife, Dr Clare Bailey, raises the alarm and calls cops
THURSDAY JUNE 6
- 10.30am: Police file missing person report and the search gets underway
- 11am: Police appeal for any information
- 2pm: Six firefighters, a vehicle and a drone team were all seen arriving in Symi from Rhodes
- 7pm: Helicopters deployed over the island
- 8pm: First day of the search called off for the night
FRIDAY JUNE 7
- 7am Extra police squadrons, coast guard officials, specially-trained sniffer dogs and military helicopters helped in the search
- 5pm The first CCTV images are released of Dr Mosley with his umbrella near the Blue Corner bar
SATURDAY JUNE 8
- 7am Police launch a search of a new area of around 7km as they step up the hunt
- 10.50am: New CCTV is released showing Mosley leaving Pedi and heading towards mountainous path
- 11am Symi’s mayor says ‘no chance’ search will be called off until he is found
- 12pm Mosley’s wife Clare says the family will ‘not lose hope‘ but confesses the last few days have been ‘unbearable’
- 3pm A helicopter joins the search effort in the mountains
SUNDAY JUNE 9
- 10.50am Body found in the search close to caves known as ‘The Abyss’
- 11am Police say they believe the body to be that of Dr Mosley
- 3.30pm Dr Clare Bailey confirms her ‘wonderful’ husband’s death
WHAT HAPPENED?
Dr Mosley left Saint Nikolas beach on Wednesday at 1.30pm, where he had been with his wife Clare and two friends.
He is believed to have then walked alone along a coastal path without his mobile phone to Pedi.
He was caught on CCTV in the fishing village at 1.52pm close to a cafe in Pedi shielding himself underneath an umbrella.
Further CCTV, released to the public on Saturday, showed him then leaving Pedi and heading towards a rocky path in blazing temperatures of up to 37C.
Rescuers feared he may have taken a wrong turn while trying to get back to his accommodation in the town of Symi.
He was initially feared by cops to have “fallen from a height” as he walked a rocky path leading from the beach to Pedi.
However, the footage made clear he made it to the village safely and was potentially attempting a much longer route home than previously thought.
Police on Friday night then shifted their search away from the water and into the mountains where they worked around-the-clock to comb through the barren land.
The search continued on Saturday, with at least 100 rescuers and volunteers and a helicopter focused on Agia Marina.
Search teams and the mayor both told The Sun the walking route can be incredibly “dangerous” and “treacherous” with no shade.
Mayor Papakalodouka added that Mosley had no water, stating: “You can’t survive in this weather.”
Describing the mountainous route, he said: “The area is so difficult to walk. It’s so rocky.
“He wouldn’t have known where he was going. He could have got lost.”
