Matthew Hall, 33, has not been seen since leaving his accommodation in Chiavenna in the Alps to go for a hike – he told a friend that he had ‘lost the path’ during the walk
The chilling final text sent by a British hiker before he went missing in Italy has been revealed.
Matthew Hall, 33, has not been seen since July 9, when he set off from his hotel in Chiavenna in the Alps to go for a hike. He was supposed to fly home on Saturday but is yet to make contact, leaving his loved ones at home living what they describe as a “nightmare”. Attempts to get in touch with him have so far proved unsuccessful. Now, his friend has shared the final message he received from him before his disappearance – and it appears to suggest that he had taken a wrong turn during the hike.
He wrote: “I lost the path and stopped to rest”.
The alarm was raised by hotel’s owners after he did not collect his breakfast for several days, with them initially believing he was likely leaving for early morning hikes.
When he failed to show up for check-out, the owners discovered his belongings were untouched, and his backpack was not in his room.
Mum Sara Foster, 62, has been anxiously waiting at home for updates from the Italian authorities – says she has been “blown sideways” by the support she has received from Matthew’s friends and the wider public.
A group of his pals have flown over to join the search teams, who have spent time analysing the last photo he sent to try and pin down its exact location.
Matthew’s employers, Quickline Communcations in Hull, are also sending six staff members out to join the efforts.His mother, who works for elderly care firm Home Instead, said: “I feel like I’m living someone else’s nightmare but I’ve just been blown sideways by all of his friends. I didn’t know them all but I do now. “The way that they have just leapt into action has been unbelievable, it really has. I obviously realise that he’s very loved. I got a message from the search team this morning – there are apparently five teams who are out looking for him.
“They were just heading out after pin pointing from a photo he sent to a friend on Tuesday afternoon, and it was a picture of a cross. There’s a lot of crosses but they know which one it is, so that is their starting point and we’re in a better place today, we’re not working blind.
“I don’t know how many people are in each team but I do know that five of Matthew’s friends have flown out and are there now having arrived last night, so they are going to help. And then Quickline, where Matthew works, are sending six of their staff. And then with Facebook, people are just joining in.
“I am so grateful to everyone, it’s unbelievable. That’s given us some hope – and he’s fit, he’s resourceful, so that’s what’s keeping me positive.
“He’s well travelled, and a solo traveller. He’s a walker and has all the gear. We just need to find him and bring him home to safety.”
In an appeal published in Italian media, Matthew is described as approximately 178cm (5ft 8in) tall, of medium build, with brown hair. He had a black backpack, though it is not known what he was wearing on the day he disappeared. The 33-year-old had been staying at B&B Ploncher in Chiavenna, and police believe he may have travelled towards Savogno or Dasile from the village of Borgonuovo, or towards Pianazzola, Daloo, or Lagunch from the town he was staying in. A missing persons report has been filed in Italy, with the search involving the Carabinieri, the Guardia di Finanza, and the Alpine Rescue team. Anyone with any knowledge about his whereabouts is urged to come forward.
A Foreign Office spokesperson told the Mirror: “We are supporting the family of a British national missing in Italy.”