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5 months ago
27
This is the poignant moment that news broadcasters announced the death of Daily Mail columnist Dr Michael Mosley.
Broadcasters around the UK broke the tragic news this afternoon when his wife Dr Clare Bailey confirmed the body found earlier today belonged to the 67-year-old.
Presenter Martine Croxall, 55, made the heartbreaking announcement on the BBC at around 1.30pm today.
She said: 'The confirmation that the body that has been found on the Greek island of Symi as part of the search for the missing TV presenter Dr Michael Mosley is that of the missing TV presenter.
'We have a statement from his wife Dr Clare Bailey Mosley who was holidaying with him on the Greek island when he went missing last Wednesday.
Presenter Martine Croxall, 55, made the heartbreaking announcement on the BBC at around 1.30pm today
TV presenter Matt Barbet broke the news for Sky at around 1.30pm
Dr Mosley married Clare (pictured together) in 1987, after meeting in medical school
'He had set off for a walk in the early afternoon and hadn't been seen since.'
Dr Michael Mosley wife's Dr Clare Bailey's statement in full
'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," a statement issued on behalf of Michael Mosley's wife, Clare Bailey Mosley, says.
'I am incredibly proud of our children, their resilience and support over the past days.
'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.
'Thank you all.'
The 55-year-old veteran broadcaster the described the search efforts that had been taking place in recent days, before she read out Dr Clare Bailey's statement in full on air.
Meanwhile TV presenter Matt Barbet broke the news for Sky at around 1.30pm. He said: 'We have had a statement from the wife of Dr Michael Mosley whose body has been found on the Greek island of Symi.'
He then goes on to read the statement in full.
Police sources told the BBC he had been dead for 'a number of days'.
Dr Mosley's body was discovered in a rocky area beside Agia Marina today after an extensive search operation led by emergency workers, around 30 minutes walk from the village of Pedi where Dr Mosley was last seen.
Petros Vassilakis, a senior police official, confirmed 'it's him', while sources said the father was identified by his personal items and clothes.
The area is known for The Abyss - a incredibly deep water-filled cave - and a network of caves. A purple umbrella is said to have been discarded nearby.
He was discovered by a bar manager accompanied by British journalists after the mayor spotted 'something' and alerted staff.
Ted Verity, Editor of Mail Newspapers, said: 'Everyone at the Mail is absolutely devastated to hear of the death of Dr Michael Mosley.
'Michael wasn't just a unique and unmissable columnist. He was part of the Mail family.
'Since he first wrote for us in 2011, we have published hundreds of his weekly columns and serialised many of his best-selling books - from the ground-breaking fast diets to others on gut health and sleep.
'It's no exaggeration to say that over the years Michael's insights - especially his revelation that you CAN reverse type two diabetes - will have extended, and even saved, the lives of countless readers.
'In person, whether warning of the perils of skimmed milk or enthusing about his latest madcap experiment on his own body, Michael was as electrifying as he was in print and on TV.
The waiter who found the body on the small Greek island of Symi
Rescue teams pictured searching for missing Dr Mosley on Saturday
'What shone through was his irrepressible curiosity - he was always hungry to learn about the very latest, cutting-edge science and medicine and then explain it to readers in a way that was both engaging and comprehensible to a mainstream audience.
'Michael was also extremely kind, not hesitating to be one of the first to offer his home as sanctuary to a Ukrainian family.
'And he always spoke with enormous love and warmth of his wife Clare, his co-author on many projects, and four children Alexander, Jack, Daniel and Katherine.
'Our hearts go out to them all.'
Police arrived at Agia Marina around 20 minutes after the body was discovered lying face up about 90 metres from the coastline. At around 2.09pm local time, firefighters arrived at the marina by boat and carried an orange stretcher and large black bag to where the body was found.
Other people wearing plain clothes got off the white speed boat and took briefcases up the rocky hill.
After around half an hour a party of six firefighters carefully gathered Dr Mosley's body and placed it onto the orange stretcher.
It was then taken down to a jetty and loaded onto a small white tender and taken away to a mortuary on the island of Rhodes for a postmortem.
Dr Mosley seen on CCTV in image in Pedi Marina, Symi, shortly before 2pm on Wednesday
Police believed Dr Mosley was seen on CCTV in the town of Pedi before making a wrong turn along a path heading north, on the island of Symi
Two forensic officers remained at the scene examining the area where the body was found and the refused to comment as they left.
It earlier emerged that Dr Mosley's grown-up children Alex, Jack, Dan and Kate were just 350ft away from where the body was found when they retraced their father's steps yesterday.
It appeared the Mail columnist had walked around the perimeter of the beach bar at Agia Marina and was heading towards the sea.
Temperatures at the time were around 37c and though he had a bottle of water with him the heat would have made it incredibly difficult.
It appeared that he may have been trying to reach the sea as his body was just a few feet from the shore. A source said the distinctive umbrella he had been carrying at the time was close to him.
At the time of his disappearance there was an excessive heat warning from the Greek Meteorological office, with temperatures predicted to hit a blistering 38c - unusual for early June.
This is the picture of Dr Mosley posted with an appeal after he went missing while walking
Police looking for Dr Mosley are investigating the discovery of a body close to an area known as The Abyss.
The body was found by a waiter at a nearby beach bar after being alerted by the mayor who spotted something 'unusual' from the seat. The body was found at Agia Marina around 30 minutes walk from Pedi where he was last seen.
Waiter Ilias Tsavaris said he had been sent up to have a look following the mayor's alert when he saw the 'glint from a watch' and a body.
On Saturday a Greek fire brigade helicopter hovered overhead the spot where the body was found.
Police arrived around 20 minutes after it had been discovered - around 100 metres from the shoreline.
A short while later a coastguard boat arrived and anchored just off the beach while a small tender with more officers to the scene.
The resort of Agia Marina, the location where a body was found
Mayor Eleftherios Papakaloudoukas had accompanied media to Agia Marina but was on his way back to Pedi when he looked back and saw something unusual on the rocks.
He then called the beach restaurant and alerted staff who rushed over towards what he had seen with a group of British journalists who had remained behind.
Officials said the coroner had been informed and was travelling to Symi from Rhodes.
The waiter who found the body, Mr Tsavaris, said: 'The mayor had been here to give interviews to the media and then left on a boat to return to Pedi.
'From the sea he saw something unusual and then he called the restaurant and asked them to check it out.
'I was sent up there and as I turned the fence to go up I saw a glint from a watch and I then I saw the body at the same time.'
On Saturday MailOnline was at the Agia Marina and watched as the fire brigade helicopter swooped low over the area where the body was but didn't spot it.
In another bizarre twist a police officer at the scene suffered a suspected broken leg as he jumped from a wall close to the body and had to be carried away on a stretcher.
Terrain near the pathway to St Nicholas Beach, where Dr Mosley set off hiking on Wednesday
Officials said the coroner had been informed and was travelling to Symi from Rhodes.
A major operation was launched to find the doctor after he vanished while hiking alone in blistering 36C (97F) heat on Wednesday.
His wife Dr Clare Bailey, 62, raised the alarm when he failed to return home by 7.30pm and local authorities began tracing his route overnight.
Dr Mosley, 67, was one of Britain's best known medics, whose revolutionary diet advice made him beloved by millions of Daily Mail readers and TV viewers.
Known for his open nature and effervescent personality, he achieved worldwide renown for popularising the 5:2 diet and released a string of best-selling books.
Police first filed a missing person report for Dr Mosley at 10.30am on Thursday and by midday each of the emergency services in Greece had joined the search on the tiny island of Symi.
Dr Mosley (pictured) and his wife landed on the 25-square-mile island on Tuesday and were due to stay for a week with a couple who have a house in Symi Town
A helicopter taking part in search operations for Dr Mosley
Mayor of Syimi Eleftherios Papakalodouka who alerted the beach resort manager after he thought he saw something 'unusual' from the sea
The medic was seen leaving Saint Nicholas beach towards the town of Pedi, via a rocky path with steep sections.
CCTV footage showed him passing a café in the town, northeast of the holiday island of Symi.
Police believed Dr Mosley was likely hiking towards the town of Symi, due west of Pedi, but took a wrong turn and ended up on a 'dangerous' mountain path heading north.
The coastguard scoured the sea as the fire brigade searched the remote island's forests and hills - with volunteers also assisting with the effort.
On Saturday, Dr Mosley's four children arrived on the island to join the searches.
Mosley's wife, Dr Clare Bailey, had been searching the island joined by her British friends.
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