The boyfriend of a British hiker who went missing on a solo walk says he does not believe her disappearance was an accident.
Esther Dingley, 37, vanished while walking in the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish borders last year.
Daniel Colegate, 38, Esther’s partner of 19 years, was staying at a French farm two-and-a-half hours’ drive away as she embarked on herwalking trip.
The accomplished hiker has not been since November 22, sparking a massive search.
Esther’s partner and family continue to lead the desperate search for her after a heartbreaking five months without a sign of her whereabouts.
(Image: Facebook)
Posting an update on Facebook on Sunday, Mr Colegate wrote that Spanish and French authorities had said their official search in the Pyrenees would not resume until heavy snow cleared.
He also said that after spending time searching in the area in which she is believed to have vanished, he could not shake his feeling Esther’s disappearance was “not an accident.”
He explained that he struggled to understand how she would not have been found in November if she had suffered a misadventure on her walk.
The officials mountain rescue search had been hampered by treacherous weather conditions over the winter, and was scheduled to resume in spring.
(Image: Collect Unknown)
Mr Colegate wrote: “In the last fortnight I have met with both the Spanish and French search and rescue units and both have confirmed that they intend to repeat their searches with all possible efforts, but only once the snow has completely cleared from the area in order that their activities can be effective and thorough.
“Unfortunately, due to the cold April weather in the region, the higher altitude portions of Esther’s route close to Pic de Sauvegarde remain under a thick blanket of snow.
“That said, I have been in the area myself for the past few weeks and have been closely exploring the lower altitude portions of the region, paying particular attention to the woodlands immediately bordering her proposed route, possible alternative trails and also in the valley between her last known location and Benasque village.
(Image: Internet Unknown)
“Although I still find it very hard to understand why Esther was not found in November if she had suffered an accident, a feeling that deepens the more time I spend in the area, I will continue to search because it is all I can do.”
Esther had told her partner she planned to spend the night at a mountain refuge in France before she vanished on the walk. It is not known whether she stayed at the hut.
Mr Colegate had said previously that her route was a very well-used path, and he was sure his girlfriend, an experienced hiker, could have made a shelter or escaped the mountain if she had fallen.
The couple, both from Durham, had swapped their careers for a life exploring Europe in 2014.
(Image: Internet Unknown)
The missing Oxford graduate’s last video call was to Mr Colegate, who was staying in their camper van 100 miles away
Earlier this year he told media she had no reason or means to disappear deliberately, and she had not touched any funds since her high-profile disappearance.
Mr Colegate’s post on Sunday described his own exhaustive search efforts.
He told how he remained in regular contact with the authorities, and was recording all of his activities using a GPS device, then passing the information on to police and rescue teams for their own planning once official searching resumes.
Mr Colegate said that he remained grateful for the support of the professionals involved in the search for Esther, adding he was “in no doubt that they have done and will continue to do all they can.”
Daniel is urging anyone with information that could help find Esther to pass it on to the family’s Lucie Blackman Trust appeal via the LBT Global Hotline on +44 (0) 800 098 8485, WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7545 826 497, or email: delta.ops@lbt.global.
