The disappearance of Esther Dingley in the Pyrenees
Esther Dingley (37, from England) was last seen on November 22nd 2020, while doing a solo hike in the Spanish-French Pyrenees. She and her partner Dan have a blog which I had followed for some time already. They packed up their belongings and sold the rest six years ago, to tour through Europe with a motorhome. They hiked many mountain ranges, including the Alps in these years, of which you can see videos here. - This blog post has been written in December 2020, but in order to have it appear more neatly in chronological order within this blog, where I like readers to first see my main blog entires about the disappearance of Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon, I added a later publication date after a good portion of my blog had disappeared and needed to be reuploaded in late March of 2021. Latest updates can be found at the bottom.
Esther decided to go on a month long solo tour recently, while her partner Dan was house sitting in France. They had been hiking together a lot and as an experienced trekker, Esther loved climbing on her own also at times. She said it was good for their relationship also, to sometimes do things apart. She drove their campervan to the Spanish town of Benasque. From there she started her hike. Initially she updates cheerful messages on facebook and instagram. I will add them below. Then suddenly after November 21st, no more updates came. She was last seen on November 22nd. Her plan had been to hike from the town to Pic de Sauvegarde, a mountaintop in the Pyrenees, which she reached on November 22 - sending Dan a picture via WhatsApp at 4PM, which was their last contact. This is the last photo she sent to her boyfriend. From there she planned to walk between Port de la Gléré and Port de Venasque - a route of some eight miles - before hiking down from the mountains on Wednesday. Search and rescue teams from both Spain and France have been searching for her on the route she took and beyond ever since. Dan initially wrote: "I'm broken. Shattered to report that my beloved Esther, the person who taught me how to feel, is missing. She has was last seen six days ago when she sent me this photo. Search and rescue teams have so far found no trace of her. The only purpose of this post is to ask for prayers, thoughts, candles and whatever you have. I've not been saying anything, but this wonderful person believes in the power of positive thought and right now I'll take anything if it means that she can be found. I need her back. I can't face the alternative."
As rescue operations continued, Dan updated on December 1st: "It's very difficult to say this, but another day has ended with no trace at all of Esther. For several days now there has been talk that perhaps Esther might not be up there and that this was the reason they couldn't find her. Because the weather window is closing fast, with snow tonight and more expected, the search and rescue teams obviously had to prioritise the search on the ground. They've gone over and over and over the trails in the area. They've used helicopters, dogs, a drone and lots of people. I'm very grateful for the effort they've put in on both sides of the border and for the way both teams have kept me honestly informed of their progress and expectations. I have great respect for the work they've done having walked many of the trails myself as well. However, with no result day after day, taking into account Esther's high level of experience, the nature of the terrain, the good weather she would have had, the fact she had a clearly defined route for Sunday evening and Monday, and various other factors, both search coordinators have essentially told me that although they can never be 100% sure, the prevailing opinion in the search teams is that she isn't there. That if she had fallen from one of the paths, they really would have expected to find her given the intensity, the closeness of the search and the fact most of the trails are really quite straightforward across open ground. As things stand tonight, Esther is now listed as a national missing persons case in Spain and the case has been passed to a specialised judicial unit in France. This means they will be looking at other options beyond a mountain accident. While this is a terrifying development in many ways, I'm trying to focus on the fact that it leaves the door open that Esther might still come home. She was so utterly happy and joyful when we last spoke, I'd do anything to see her face and hold her right now."He updated later, on December 3rd: "I wanted to say thank you once more for all of you leaving kind messages. Now that this is a formal police investigation I've been asked to let any future updates and comments come out via formal channels, which makes complete sense to me. If anyone has any information they feel may be relevant, please let the appropriate authorities know directly. Thank you all again for your support."
Because Esther has not been found anywhere along the trail she was said to have taken, and because search teams, dogs and helicopters could not find a trace of her, police are now expanding their searches and are looking into a possible crime scenario as well. Esther mentioned in some of her last updates that she ran into another male hiker. Because of the French lockdowns, the Pyrenees were as good as deserted, so there were very few witnesses on the trails. Esther revealed the existence of the man in a Facebook post on November 19, saying they met by chance at the peak of a mountain, before hiking down together. She wrote that she had accepted a lift from the man back to her camper van, which was later found abandoned in the Spanish town of Benasque. She wrote: "It was the first time I'd seen anyone else for almost two days and as this kind fellow hiker took some photos the weather blew in..." "I had the option of staying at a great caban, even had a mattress, but it was only 2pm or going down with my fellow hiker and getting a lift. He'd take me further up the valley so I could continue my planned tour to another refuge, or back to the camper. "There will be more days in the hills!" I said to the little part of me that didn't want to go back just yet.' 'This was about making it easy on myself. It would be warm and sunny back at the camper and here was someone willing to take me...' 'And then as we drove off this magnificent rainbow appeared. Yoga, good food and sunshine and warmth awaited me back at the camper.'The meeting happened just three days before Esther was last seen, and police believe the man may hold vital clues about what happened to her. The man took this picture. A police source told The Sun: 'This man would have had conversations with her and may know what she planned' 'They may have arranged to meet and hike another route. It is imperative that we find him.' Authorities are now said to be looking into the identity of this man and are trying to find out who he is and if he knows where Esther is. But her last update on November 21st shows her alone making a selfie on a peak at the border of Spain and France, and not even in the reflection of her sunglasses is a second person to be seen. I hope there is no other person involved in her disappearance, but I think it may still be possible that Esther is out in the Pyrenees somewhere and got lost or fell down some place nobody has been looking yet. She wrote in earlier posts about having to backtrack because she lost a trail. She brought a backpack however with all the necessities; camping gear, clothes, food etc. Below are Esthers last messages about her trip:
7 Nov 2020
"Last weekend, I have to admit, that just before the French lockdowns, I got across the border to Spain... I feel much safer in the mountains and [covid] incident rates are much lower... I hardly see anyone and sleep.in my tent...I don't know how long until a lockdown happens in spain, so away I went for a 4 day short #thruhike tour in the national park near Monte Perdido... Spanish Pyrenees... First time strapping on the pack since our Via Alpina trip and my first solo trip since last year... With now even higher confidence after a summer with Dan having my back... #thankyou so much @danielcolegate. It felt good to be out but also good to know only 4 days! Just 4 nights.... One in a cowshed, one in a refugio at 2680m thick in snow, one bivying on the side of a mountain, and another refugio by a lake at 2400m... Snow forced me to change my plans daily... So now plan... Just a wander... Clear the mind.... Let everything settle in the stillness... Not always easy... "What are you doing here, Esther... Why?!" Cropped up many times... as did a lot of other fears but once again a few pointers, help and kindness from others and I started to find my feet again... New friends and new #homeforthenight."
8 Nov 2020
"It's been a few days of rain and staying put but today I feel totally reenergised from having stretched my legs again - hiking to the top of Turbon, 2492m Spanish Pyrenees... I'm very grateful for this opportunity given that so many people are locked in right now...So I felt I needed to make the most whilst I still can. I don't want to get into the political side of things.. I do understand the importance of lockdowns and respect social distancing and get hygiene routines. I understand that in the cities and gym environments it is difficult right now. However, for me, I believe... exercise and particularly getting outside is vital for staying healthy.... Staying balanced for me, and I know so so many others, comes from getting out into nature, even if in the local park or along a riverside path, moving my body, getting the blood circulating and breathing fresh air. It clears the mind, balances the body, releases happy hormones and proven to boost the immune system. At times it seems madness to restrict people's rights to be outside and exercise at a time when staying well is crucial... So I'm grateful that I'm still in a position where I have this freedom right now and so feel it's a must, precisely because so many can't, that I get out whilst I can... keep my own mind and body strong so I can help others... And hopefully share /pass on some of the energy and inspiration this scenery gave me... @lovethepyrenees" 15 Nov 2020 In Benasque "Sometimes it's just nice to take an opportunity in front of you and not think to much about it.... This opportunity for me was the chance to go off for some time on my own in the mountains... grateful for the fact it happens to be a very warm November and a route straight from the camper upto an amazing 2800+m peak.... Mix of hiking and trail running to clear the mind... "
16 Nov 2020 "Lot of times I doubted myself and wanted to turn around, especially the deeper the snow got but I didn't given in. I so appreciate all the confidence Dan has given me in my abilities over the years and all the experiences where he's reminded me I can do it even when I get scared. When I do something like this on my own (30km 1700m large part in snow) it helps me not feel scared about other things in my life. Helps me also put everything in perspective and I feel less stressed about the urgency of things in my mind. A few years ago I could never have imagined doing something like this. Ten years ago I struggled down gentle paths in the Lakes... It takes practice, patience, a lot of supportive encouragement and a pinch of will power. You've got to want to try... That's the first step... But in the words of Alex Boye.... if I can do it, know you can too! Everything is possible! So much fun running down the hillside in the snow! Wanted to stay up there forever??"
17 Nov 2020 "I love being a snail. Today I set off for a mini thru hike to enjoy this unexpectedly amazing weather. I love carrying everything I need with me on my back. It gives me great confidence and freedom to push exploring because I know whatever happens I have everything I need to survive with me. I wasn't sure if my planned route up and over a 2850m col would be possible because of snow. But leaving the reffugio de angel orus behind I decided to try knowing that I had the tent as back up and all the gear to stay warm. I tried but had to turn back. I wasn't able to go over the col with the equipment I had, even with the microspikes I had. The snow was just too deep. But it wasn't about where I got to. It was about the experience. Exploring... Trying... It was brilliant... Hope you enjoy the pics as I share the joy... There weren't footprints in the snow to follow only that of chamois and one other.... ?? Can anyone let me know if this might have been bear prints?? I did find one very interesting." And: "Grateful for an amazing day..."
18 Nov 2020 Another incredible day.... unexpected bonus this time of the year... Snow didn't force me back today so I crossed the 2600m col to be greeted by a series of lakes, waterfalls,forests and gorges. So I was able to walk a great stage of the gr11.2 with a couple of "interesting" detours. It felt like I was walking in a series of postcards one after the other... could have easily convinced myself I was in different several different countries... Had to really push my comfort zone again at times on the more tricky sections but here I am wrapped up in my sleeping bag at cabaña Santa Anna. It's still not easy for me to sleep out on my own but each time I get more experience. Not in sleeping out but I'm trusting and listening to my intuition to tell me if it's the right place for me. The stars are really beautiful..."
And: "Another awesome adventure... Pushing more boundaries but this time didn't have to turn back due to snow.. was brilliant to be able to march through the fresh snow... I loved the crunching like creaking floor boards... More pics to follow... As it was a day of so many gems! From start to finish..." And: "Goodnight... Going to sleep a little chilly but with great memories..."
19 Nov 2020"Today was a very mixed day. I set off relaxed, thinking I had all the time in the world because the weather looked good and the forecast had been also good. But slowly I found myself racing the weather. I had to release any expectations to my plans of climbing the 2550m peak and staying out for another night away... But it could just blow through I thought so I decided to give it a try. My fears and doubts started to set I with the forest few spots of rain and the wind picking up. It wasn't helped that although on this hike I wasn't climbing my way up snow and ice, I was struggling with a different challenge, disappearing paths and confusing goat/sheep tracks taking me of track and finding myself continually have to stop to check the map and haul myself up the mountainside to get back on track. My self doubt in my decision to try was increasing each time I found myself off track. But with my thru-hiking pack on my back I gained confidence that everything I needed to survive was with me, whether cold, wet or hungry! But did I get to the peak before the rain??? TBC
And: I reached the top! So of course required celebration. I'd overcome the doubts telling me to turn round, that I couldn't do it.. I could hear @dancolegate saying "you got this!" as I was approaching the final 300m exposed steep ridge ascent, so the wind was really strong and bitter. At the top it was like looking at two different seasons on different sides of the peak .. Down the valley into spain... Sunshine... Coming across the border from France... Rain. It was the first time I'd seen anyone else for almost 2 days and as this kind fellow hiker took some photos the weather blew in and it's was time for a sharp descent... But as the weather worsened, it meant I was left more decisions to be made.... And I don't like decisions!! ?? An amazing rainbow helped me confirm is made the right decision... I had the option of staying at a great caban, even had a mattress, but it was only 2pm or going down with my fellow hiker and getting a lift. He'd take me withe r up the valley so I could continue my planned toure to another refuge or back to the camper... It was hard to let go of expectations and plans but this trip has been about choosing self care and not surviving for the sake off it. I'd be just sitting and waiting in the cold on my own in the caban until morning. Although there was the mattress and a very friendly chamois nearby (scroll through although sadly just the phone camera with me this time!)... If I went up the valley, as planned based on the earlier forecast, I'd just be walking in the rain for the sake of it again to spend a night somewhere cold and wet. On a longer hike yes maybe, I don't mind bad weather but I didn't have enough food to stay out more than one more night... "There will be more days in the hills!" I said to the little part of me that didn't want to go back just yet. This was about making it easy on myself. It would be warm and sunny back at the camper and here was someone willing to take me... And then as we drove off this magnificent rainbow ?? appeared... Yoga, good food and sunshine and warmth awaited me back at the camper... Tomorrow is another day..."
"I'm in heaven.... The snail is on the move again and loving it ?????? Amazing views on the border of France and Spain. Overlooking pic Aneto and Spain's last glacier... bagneres luchon on the otherside! @dancolegate Maybe I can see you!! Such a clear day!!"
Update December 5th 2020: Captaine Jean-Marc Bordinaro who is leading the French operation, told the Sunday Mirror: "The weather is deteriorating, making searching very difficult." Asked if he had any knowledge of the Spanish side of the investigation over the man who gave Esther a lift - Cap Bordinaro replied: "No…we are on the French side". But he rejected the theory that Esther had been taken: "It's impossible to be kidnapped on the mountain. You’re not going to hide her in a rucksack. There would have to be a camping car or something." He confirmed that Esther’s partner of 18 years Dan, 38, is not a suspect - adding that his “movements are covered”. Dan has also been cleared to collect their campervan after the Guardia Civil searched and found no clues, he said. Cap Bordinaro ruled out another theory that Esther was attacked by a bear, saying all the creatures on the mountain are tracked. Sergeant Jorge Lopez Ramos, head of Civil Guard GREIM mountain rescue team in Benasque, said that - weather permitting - searches will now take place “mainly on foot”. But he warned that even half a metre of snow on the ground will make efforts “much more complicated”. Locals familiar with the terrain say there is a risk Esther may have fallen into an icy pool in a mountain crevice given the amount of deep pools in the area. Sergeant Ramos admitted: “We appreciate the chances of finding Esther alive are minimal and it leaves us with a very bitter taste in our mouths.” The couple’s friends are mystified by Esther’s disappearance. Close friend Christine Millership, who met the couple in 2016 in San Jose, south Spain, said “She is tremendously trusting. She’s been out here now for some time wandering around with nothing hurting her [...] The fear isn’t there now because it’s all been so lovely. “The only thing I can think is she’s met someone and come to some harm - because she wouldn’t have fallen - she’s too fit for that. “She is fit like I’ve never seen before. If she stumbled, she’d never fall.” Esther's aunt does fear her niece may have been kidnapped. Elizabeth Wolsey Morgan also told how relatives are "in pieces" and living a "nightmare" as they await news of the 37-year-old - eleven days after her partner Dan Colegate reported her missing. Her fears come as Spanish authorities are yet to track down a mystery man who gave the British hiker a lift three days before she vanished in the Pyrenees.
And Marti Vigo del Arco, a Spanish Olympic skier, told a Barcelona newspaper that at around 3pm on November 22 he was hiking down a trail high in the mountains with his girlfriend when they met an English woman coming the other way. That was the day 37-year-old Esther Dingley was last heard from on her long solo trek through the area. The skier remembered thinking it was quite late in the day to be climbing the Pic de Sauvegarde straddling France’s border with Spain. “She was coming up, we were on the descent, she was very heavily loaded with a very big backpack,” Vigo del Arco told Spain’s La Vanguardia newspaper. They stopped for a chat. “She asked us if we had a piece of fruit or something fresh, but we didn’t have anything,” said Vigo del Arco. “She carried on up.” The skier and his girlfriend did not pass anyone else coming up the mountain and are believed to have been the last people to have seen Dingley, whose disappearance two weeks ago has baffled investigators. About an hour after her encounter with the Spanish skier, she reached the 8,983ft summit from where, just before 4pm, she sent a selfie to Dan Colegate, her partner of 18 years. In it, she can be seen smiling at the camera with the mountains reflected in her sunglasses. Colegate, 38, has not heard from her since. After Dingley sent the selfie to Colegate, she would have had enough time before dark to reach the mountain refuge cabin in which she had planned to spend the night, according to searchers. But there is no sign that she got there. Colegate, a business development manager, said police were “looking at other options” beyond an accident. He said in a post on Facebook that after extensive searches “the prevailing opinion” is that she is not in the mountains. “If she had fallen from one of the paths, they really would have expected to find her, given the intensity, the closeness of the search and the fact that most of the trails are really quite straightforward across open ground.” Dingley, he said, had been well prepared for what was meant to be her last walk after a month of hiking by herself. Their last conversation had been about “how excited we were to see each other, as this was her last trip before driving back”. Jorge Lopez Ramos, head of the Spanish mountain rescue team, told reporters that the failure to find her was baffling. “Now snow will cover the mountain,” he said on Friday. “That means the search can’t resume with the same intensity until the spring.”Update December 8th 2020: Police have revealed that missing British hiker Esther Dingley's domestic life ‘was not as idyllic as social media suggested’. ‘We believe that her disappearance is either the result of a voluntary act, or as a result of someone else’s actions. We went to see Mr Colegate so that we could go through social media with him – messages, etc. It appears that their lives together were not as happy as the images posted on social media suggest. However I would like to stress that we interviewed Mr Colegate as a witness not as a suspect.’ The Oxford graduate was interviewed for a third time by the French Gendarmes and the Spanish Guardia Civil last week about Esther’s disappearance.
Update December 9th 2020: New twist in case of missing Briton Esther Dingley as dog walker says she saw someone ASLEEP in hiker's camper van - ten days after she vanished in the Pyrenees. The woman called Luciana was walking her dog at about 7pm on December 2 in Benasque, Spain. She then saw a light on in Esther's British-registered Fiat Chausson camper. She took a closer look three hours later at 10pm and saw someone asleep inside. She became increasingly concerned when saw this figure laying down in the back and took a photo. She said she was 'fobbed off' when she called the Spanish police. Now she has contacted the MailOnline. 'I saw someone sleeping in the back of the caravan car and I couldn't believe it,' Lucia said. 'Everyone in Benasque knows about the missing English girl. And I knew that was her van. It is the only camping car that is British. 'I first saw the light on when I took my dog out at about 7pm. It seemed a bit strange. 'Then I took the dog out again at about 10pm and I took a closer look. I could see someone asleep in the back of the van. They were lying down. They were not moving. They were lying quite still. 'I thought that was very strange so I took a photo with my phone. And when I got home I called the Guardia Civil [Spanish paramilitary police]. 'I told them I had seen someone sleeping in the back of the English girl's caravan. 'But they weren't interested. They did not send anyone to inspect the vehicle.' Investigators did confirm it wasn't Esther's boyfriend Dan who was in the campervan. But Matt Searle, spokesman for Esther’s family and Mr Colgate, told MailOnline: ‘Daniel and Esther’s family are extremely interested to find out who was inside the camper with the lights on and ask for an investigation into the photo. Investigators have also confirmed they believe Esther's disappearance is either the result of 'voluntary act, or as a result of someone else’s actions'. Fitness enthusiast Esther had parked the vehicle to go hiking up the Pyrenees on sometime after November 16. The 37-year-old was last seen on Sunday November 22 by fellow hikers in the Spanish Pyrenees. She later sent a picture from the summit of the Pic de Sauveguarde mountain to partner Daniel Colegate. - OK, someone in the comment section wrote: "Spanish Police said it was one of their forensic officers."
Update December 12th 2020: Jose Antonio Ballarin has been identified as one of the last persons to see Esther Dingley alive at Plan de l’Estany. When he saw her heading up the mountain road from the village of Benasque, Jose Antonio Ballarin pulled his car over. Esther, who often took lifts on hiking trips, jumped in and travelled with the 71-year-old and his grandson for five miles, chatting about her plans until they reached the footpath leading to the Pico Salvaguardia, or ‘safeguard peak’. When she went missing, she was thought to have been in the middle of a hike of several days, taking a circular route from Port de la Glere to Port de Venasque via Pico Salvaguardia. Having set off from Benasque that Saturday morning, Esther was believed to be planning to spend Sunday night at the Refuge de Venasque before looping back to Port de la Glere and Benasque. But she had previously changed her routes to get around icy tracks or to avoid bad weather and in her conversation with Mr Ballarin – conducted in French because she spoke no Spanish and he no English – she appeared to suggest she was considering crossing the Pyrenees into France. She said she was going to French town of Bagneres de Luchon and mentioned the city of Toulouse. Wearing a mask in the front passenger seat of his Subaru 4x4, she tried to show him her route on her phone but he was unable to look closely because he was driving. Esther’s conversation with Mr Ballarin raises the possibility that she might have radically changed her plans at the last minute, perhaps explaining why there has been no sign of her despite extensive searches before winter blizzards set in last week. Spanish and French police are now believed to be considering the possibility that her disappearance could have been ‘voluntary’. A senior officer involved in the search has suggested her partner Daniel Colgate, 38, with whom she has been travelling around Europe in a camper van for six years, is considering settling down and that Esther dreaded the end of her nomadic lifestyle. Mr Ballarin, meanwhile, is haunted by the crossing of their paths. He said: ‘It’s terrible to think I was one of the last people to see her alive. ‘But when I look back, I don’t think she was doing anything foolhardy. She seemed perfectly happy. There was nothing that made me worry for her. 'She was just a capable young woman heading up into the mountains for a few days of adventure. She seemed like a sensible young woman.’ Since this conversation took place, it has become clear that Esther returned the following afternoon to the Pico Salvaguardia after a short hike in the area. This contradicts what she appeared to tell Mr Ballarin. Their conversation took place several hours before Esther spoke to her partner, who guided investigators to her last known position and to the route she told him she was on. Rescue teams have also scoured alternative routes. Understandably, Mr Ballarin is worried. ‘I dropped her off and that was the last I saw of her,’ he said. ‘It was only a couple of days later that I found out there was a person missing and it was the woman I had given a lift to. The police spoke to me and I gave them the same information. It’s horrible to think something bad has happened to her.’ An experienced hiker, Mr Ballarin warns that the lakes in the area are highly dangerous. The authorities are not ruling out the possibility that Esther may have fallen into freezing water. ‘Once you lose your footing and start falling down the mountains here, there’s nothing to stop you.’ The last person to see Esther was Spanish Olympic skier Marti Vigo del Arco, who was coming down from Pico Salvaguardia with his girlfriend on November 22 at around 3pm as Esther was going up. ‘We know that she reached the peak because of the final selfie she took there and the phone conversation she had with Dan, just before 4pm. A French investigating source said the possibility that she has walked down the mountain and is somewhere in Spain or France has ‘pretty much been ruled out completely’. The source added: ‘By now she would have made contact with somebody. She is a very intelligent and capable woman who understands her responsibilities. There is no way that she would just ignore everybody.’ Mr Ballarin fears the worst. ‘I just hope she’s in some French city and just hasn’t got in touch for a reason because if she’s still in the mountains, I can’t see how she would have survived,’ he said. ‘We have to think the worst.’
Update December 14th 2020: ·
PRESS RELEASE – ESTHER DINGLEY “We just want her back…” – Esther Dingley’s mum and partner speak out. The mother and partner of Esther Dingley, 37, missing in the Pyrenees since November 22nd, today speak out after days of speculation across media and social sites. Both are being supported by LBT Global, formally the Lucie Blackman Trust, which supports British nationals in crisis overseas. Daniel Colegate, Esther’s partner of 19 years, and her mother Ria wanted to speak out to tell the world about Esther. Ria says, “It is utterly out of character for her to be out of contact for this length of time and we are missing her desperately. Esther values family above everything and on all her trips we are always in regular contact, sharing the day to day small details of life. We communicated several times every day.” The pair have been deeply upset at suggestions that Esther may have simply gone off in search of a ‘new life’. Daniel says: “We spoke every day, the time apart worked as we expected, and we were very joyful when we spoke. We were missing each other. The hike she went missing on was to be her last hike before driving back. Our last conversation was totally loving and all smiles. She was so happy, and we were excited to see each other. “Why the police who spoke to a journalist implied “things weren’t as happy as they looked” baffles me. I have never spoken to the person quoted. All the police I have spoken to just nodded and said things like “totally normal then…” Reports of Mr Colegate being ‘quizzed’ several times by police have also upset him: “During the first six days I spoke every day with both police search teams to coordinate my own hiking activities and get updates. When it became a criminal case, I was then interviewed the by the Spanish criminal investigation team on Wednesday 2nd December. “The French criminal investigation team visited me at the house on Monday 7th December. I have not been ‘quizzed’ three times. I have given a statement to all the various different units involved in this case, including conversations with UK police. “I think people imagine there is one set of police who keep hauling me in to go over my statement again like on TV. In reality, there are just lots of different people who need to go through the motions. I have cooperated fully with each one, going through my electronic data, social media, providing bank details, passwords etc. My only goal is to help them do what they need to do as quickly as possible.”
She always let me know when she was setting off and when she expected to be back. She spent Nov 20th in the motorhome and set out on Nov 21st. The “mystery man” who gave her a lift back to the motorhome on the 19th (after her previous hiking trip) spoke to the police already.
Esther’s Mum, Ria, says her daughter openly discussed her plans and decisions with her: “Esther is an open book. She openly shared some of the difficult decisions that she and Dan would be facing soon, primarily linked to Brexit and the impact that would have on their itinerant lifestyle, but that didn't dampen her joy for the life they both were living.” Daniel says that contrary to some reports, they are a normal couple: “We’ve been together for almost 19 years – a couple since February 2002. I find it frustrating to be known as “the boyfriend”. We only did not get married because I was too sick due to the same illness that catalysed our nomadic lifestyle. We had to cancel our wedding in February 2014 because I had only just got out of hospital and could not walk. 2 months later we started travelling. We are soulmates. Once on the road, having a wedding certificate no longer seemed important. “This summer we did a 1000-mile hike together and we always planned to spend 2 weeks doing our own thing afterwards, because we knew it was good for us as individuals and for our relationship. We had just spent 80 days in the wilderness with just each other for company. I wanted to relax in a house due to my health issues, Esther wanted to take advantage of the mild autumn and do some more outdoor things. “That was why she went touring solo; it was pre-planned and agreed upon. It was a non-event for us. We had done it before. “She only crossed into Spain because the French announced a new lockdown a few days after she set off. Then, because the weather was so mild and she was having fun, she kept extending the trip by a few days at time. If she had come home, she would have been tied to the house as I was. Our conversations essentially boiled down to “I miss you but I’m also glad you’re having a good time”. And she knew I was happy resting in a house.”The paths near the lakes are wide and easy, the conditions were perfect, Esther had all the equipment to look after herself, and from the peak we last spoke on, she could be at a road in either France or Spain within 90 minutes – 2 hours. She was not lost in the Amazon rainforest. These are trails that families walk in summer.
Esther is an experienced mountain hiker. Mr Colegate is keen to point out her experience: “Esther was not on a “month long hike” or “month long solo trip”. Her trip was ad hoc, consisting of day walks, days in the motorhome and several multiday walks. She always let me know when she was setting off and when she expected to be back. “In this case, she spent Nov 20th in the motorhome and set out on Nov 21st. The “mystery man” who gave her a lift back to the motorhome on the 19th (after her previous hiking trip) spoke to the police already. “Esther’s a very experienced hiker. The terrain she was on is not difficult. The weather was excellent. It does not mean she hasn’t had an accident; I just consider it unlikely. Reference to falling into the lakes, which was a story for a day, is also possible, but also highly unlikely. The paths near the lakes are wide and easy. You do not just fall ten metres sideways into a lake. “There seems to be a perception that because it’s the mountains, because it’s nearly winter and because Esther was alone, that what she was doing was reckless and “of course” she has had an accident”. “The situation on the ground is that the conditions were perfect, Esther had all the equipment to look after herself, and from the peak we last spoke on, she could be at a road in either France or Spain within 90 minutes – 2 hours. She was not lost in the Amazon rainforest. These are trails that families walk in summer. "Esther specified her route from the summit we spoke on. She had two hours of daylight to reach a refuge winter room, a distance that would have taken her less than an hour. From my own visits I know she wouldn't have had a phone signal again on Sunday afternoon/evening, but she would have had a signal very soon after setting off the next day. Because Esther is so particular about sending updates to family, if Esther did have an accident it must have been in that very small area, an area that was pored over daily until the heavy snow arrived." Much has been made of reports of a light seen in the motorhome. LBT Global has had it confirmed this was due to police activity. Both Mr Colegate and Ria are desperate to have her home safely. Ria says: “We are utterly distraught not knowing where Esther is or what has happened to her and would implore anyone who may know anything, however seemingly insignificant, to come forward with that information. We are desperate to see our beloved girl again so thank you for anything you can do to help us find her”. LBT Global has set up a hotline for information and an email address is available."
Update January 11th 2021Missing British hiker's partner says someone may have 'seen opportunity in a lone female'. Dan Colegate claims Esther Dingley may have come across a hunter.
Her partner Dan Colegate claims that despite the coronavirus lockdown in place at the time, the "possibility of Esther encountering an individual with a weapon remains". "In such a mountainous location, there is no practical way to police anybody choosing to ignore the COVID-19 restrictions," he said in a statement issued by the LBT Global - formally the Lucie Blackman Trust. "That doesn't mean that nobody could have been up there, and that somebody who was breaking the rules didn't see an opportunity when encountering a lone female hiker. "With the additional knowledge that nobody else should be nearby and so close to a road, an individual with a weapon could feasibly force somebody back to their vehicle." Mr Colegate, who has been in a relationship with Ms Dingley for 19 years, said she may have come across a hunter. There has been no sign of her, with French police investigating three possibilities: an accident, voluntary disappearance, or someone else being involved. Mr Colegate claims he spoke to her every day in the run-up to her disappearance on 22 November. He has hit out at suggestions she may have gone missing on purpose, with a dossier of her case compiled by the missing person's charity claiming it would be "totally out of character, in every way". "Esther has no motive or means to do so. She hasn't accessed any funds. "There were no large cash withdrawals in the weeks/months leading up to her trip. "She was already doing her own thing as part of her usual relationship with Dan. She didn't need to vanish to get time to herself," it said.
"That doesn't mean that nobody could have been up there, and that
somebody who was breaking the rules didn't see an opportunity when
encountering a lone female hiker. "With the additional knowledge that
nobody else should be nearby and so close to a road, an individual with a
weapon could feasibly force somebody back to their vehicle."
On the possibility of her suffering an accident, her partner claims she did the same route the previous day and is an experienced climber. He said in a final emotional statement: "Since Esther went missing I have been lost in a world that no longer makes sense to me. Every aspect of my life and the future I dream of includes Esther. "I never imagined that one day she would not come home."
Update June 14th 2021. Police in the Pyrenees RESUME search for missing British hiker Esther Dingley with winter snow now thawed as her devastated boyfriend 'continues to walk trails hoping to find her'
In a Daily Mail article from mid June 2021, it was reported that police had resumed their search for Esther, and that her devastated boyfriend continued to walk trails in the Pyrenees in his own efforts to find her. Seargeant Jorge Lopez Ramos said at the time already that he was counting on the possibility of receiving information from other hikers, as the weather was good and many would hike in the Pyrenees in the peak months of July and August.
Civil Guard sergeant Jorge Lopez Ramos, whose elite mountain search and rescue team led an eight-day search for Esther on the Spanish side of the border before it was halted last December because of bad weather, said: 'We have spent some time going into the mountains and seeing what the snow is like and looking at places where we think Esther could have had an accident. 'A helicopter has been assisting officers on the ground but we haven't found anything. 'The south face of the Pico Salvaguardia can now be hiked to the summit without any problem. 'That's one of the places we've looked because that's where we know Esther made her last contact with her boyfriend and we haven't found any clues that help us get any closer to finding her. 'There's still snow on the north side near the summit on what would be the French side so nothing can be ruled out there for the moment. 'The snow there could take a month to melt but it's impossible to give a precise date.' He added: 'Our busiest period of the year when we have to carry out most rescues is about to begin and we won't be able to search for Esther systematically like we did at the beginning because of the resources we have and the fact that it would make no sense to repeat searches of possible accident locations which have already been looked at several times. 'But we'll have a helicopter again here from June 19 and we'll use it to rule out areas whilst looking at others on foot that we know to be difficult and maybe haven't been searched as closely as the ones on the route Esther indicated she was going to take. 'The summer is the most likely time of the year when we'll get information that could help us because that's when most people are walking in the mountains. 'At the end of the day 1,000 eyes see more than eight, the summer is when more people leave the well-trodden paths for whatever reason and we've got a good chance of seeing some change to a situation which at the moment is the same as it was last year when the search was called off.
Civil Guard sergeant Jorge Lopez Ramos, whose elite mountain search and rescue team led an eight-day search for Esther on the Spanish side of the border before it was halted last December because of bad weather, said: 'We have spent some time going into the mountains and seeing what the snow is like and looking at places where we think Esther could have had an accident. 'A helicopter has been assisting officers on the ground but we haven't found anything. 'The south face of the Pico Salvaguardia can now be hiked to the summit without any problem. 'That's one of the places we've looked because that's where we know Esther made her last contact with her boyfriend and we haven't found any clues that help us get any closer to finding her. 'There's still snow on the north side near the summit on what would be the French side so nothing can be ruled out there for the moment. 'The snow there could take a month to melt but it's impossible to give a precise date.' He added: 'Our busiest period of the year when we have to carry out most rescues is about to begin and we won't be able to search for Esther systematically like we did at the beginning because of the resources we have and the fact that it would make no sense to repeat searches of possible accident locations which have already been looked at several times. 'But we'll have a helicopter again here from June 19 and we'll use it to rule out areas whilst looking at others on foot that we know to be difficult and maybe haven't been searched as closely as the ones on the route Esther indicated she was going to take. 'The summer is the most likely time of the year when we'll get information that could help us because that's when most people are walking in the mountains. 'At the end of the day 1,000 eyes see more than eight, the summer is when more people leave the well-trodden paths for whatever reason and we've got a good chance of seeing some change to a situation which at the moment is the same as it was last year when the search was called off.
Esther's partner Dan Colegate revealed in his last Facebook post in April that he had been exploring the lower altitude parts of the trail Esther had walked before she vanished, paying particular attention to woodlands bordering her proposed route. Using the post to deny reports at the time the police search had resumed, he repeated an earlier claim he found it hard to understand why his girlfriend was not found in November 'if she had suffered an accident', and vowed to 'continue to search because it is all I can do.' He added: 'I remain in regular contact with the authorities and I am recording all of my activities using a GPS device, passing this information to the police and search teams to assist their own planning when the time comes.' Dan, who is being assisted by support group LBT Global, ruled out the idea of a voluntary disappearance in January and insisted Esther could have been harmed by someone and a criminal investigation was 'absolutely necessary' while winter weather prevented police from searching for her in the mountains in the event she had an accident. Esther's mum admitted in February: 'Each day has been nothing short of an excruciating hell for me, balancing on the edge of breaking down. 'Not knowing where she is or what has happened to our beautiful Esther is destroying me and our family.'
Update July 23rd 2021. Police searching for missing British hiker Esther Dingley find bones near site where she last made contact with her boyfriend in November
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Police searching for missing hiker Esther Dingley have found bones near the site where she last made contact with her boyfriend in November. French police confirmed remains had been found at Port de la Glere but said it would take 'several days or even weeks' before they were properly analysed and any results obtained. A mountain runner raised the alarm around 2pm on Friday after discovering what he believed could be the remains of a body. Spanish police went to the area but had to alert their French counterparts after discovering the spot was just over the border. French police have now taken charge of the investigation to try to confirm they are human bones and if they are, who they could belong to. Spanish police sources said they appeared to be human bones. A mountain runner raised the alarm around 2pm on Friday after discovering what he believed could be the remains of a body near the spot where missing hiker Esther Dingley went missing late last year. French police chief Jean Marc Bordinaro said: 'We cannot say anything at the moment because the discovery of the bones is too recent and they must be properly analysed. 'We will not have a result for several days and possibly several weeks.' A prosecutor based in Saint-Gaudens is expected to make an official statement if there are any changes to the current situation. Spanish Civil Guard said the discovery was a matter for the French police to comment on as the bones had been found on their side of the border.
Civil Guard sergeant Jorge Lopez Ramos, whose elite mountain search and rescue team led an eight-day search for Esther on the Spanish side of the border before it was halted last December because of bad weather, confirmed late last year Port de la Glere was on the route Esther told her boyfriend she was planning to take before she disappeared. Referring to the mountain pass by its Spanish name, he said at the time: 'Esther told her partner she was planning to spend the night in a nearby refuge on the French side of the border called Venasque before doing a long half-circle to re-enter Spain through a mountain pass called Puerto de la Glera and heading back down to Llanos del Hospital. 'It would have been a long day's walk or she could have spent the night somewhere and finished the following day. 'We don't know if she reached Venasque that night. It's shut at the moment and only an emergency part of it is open for people to sleep in and consume any food they have with them.' Mr Bordinaro had previously admitted the possibility Durham-born Esther had suffered a mountain accident was a 'strong one.' A Civil Guard source said: 'A mountain runner has found what could be human bones just over the French side of the border at Puerto de la Glera. 'He called the Civil Guard who went to the area but after confirming it was on the French side of the border they called the French Gendarmerie who went to the spot and have now taken charge of things. 'They appear to be human remains but it will up to French police now to analyse them.' Another Spanish source said it appeared '90 per cent certain' they were human remains.
Puerto de la Glera - Port de la Glere in France - is close to the 8,796ft Pico Salvaguardia summit where Oxford graduate Esther last made contact with her partner Dan Colegate around 4pm on November 22 last year. Specialist officers from Spain and France have carried out several searches of the area around the Puerto de la Glera hiking trail. Esther's partner claimed in a recent BBC interview he 'could no longer agree' with the idea she had suffered an accident. He said: 'The search has been so prolonged and so intense, that as far as I'm concerned the probability of an accident is now less than the probability of a criminal act.' Spanish Civil Guard officers resumed the search for Esther in mid-June and have been supported by a helicopter from a permanent base in the town of Benasque, where the missing hiker was staying before she vanished. A Spanish court probe that opened after the Durham-born 37-year-old went missing on November 22 remains open. A woman judge based an hour's drive away from the Pyrenees village of Benasque in Boltana remains in charge of the Spanish judicial probe sparked by Esther's disappearance. Maria Saenz Martinez has yet to approve the return of the camper van Esther had travelled to Spain in to her boyfriend. The vehicle remains at a Civil Guard station in Benasque where it was taken for forensic analysis soon after Esther vanished. French investigators have made their own inquiries and share information with their Spanish counterparts on a regular basis but are understood to have obtained no new indications about what might have happened to the missing Brit since the suspension of the mountain search. Esther was expected to spend the night in an unmanned shelter on the French side of the border the day of her last conversation with her boyfriend, but it is not known if she ever arrived. They spoke after she reached the summit of Pico Salvaguardia, which the French call Pic de Sauvegarde, for the second time in two days. She was seen by several witnesses including an Olympic Spanish skier asking for some fruit hiking on the path leading up to the summit. Esther's mum admitted in February: 'Each day has been nothing short of an excruciating hell for me, balancing on the edge of breaking down. 'Not knowing where she is or what has happened to our beautiful Esther is destroying me and our family.'" - In an earlier Daily Mail article from mid June 2021, it was reported that police had resumed their search for Esther, and that her devastated boyfriend continued to walk trails in the Pyrenees in his own efforts to find her. Seargeant Jorge Lopez Ramos said at the time already that he was counting on the possibility of receiving information from other hikers, as the weather was good and many would hike in the Pyrenees in the peak months of July and August.
Update: The boyfriend of missing British hiker Esther Dingley said the mountain pass where bones have been found was an 'easy' route that was 'well within her capabilities', as her family appealed for 'urgent' answers after the discovery. He said: 'Her onward route would have involved a descent northwards towards the Hospice de France, a flat traverse westwards around the Imperatrice Way, and a climb southwards to the border at Port de la Glere. 'From the border the route descends back towards Hospital de Benasque. 'This route would have been well within Esther's capabilities for a day hike, in addition to the fact she had a tent, camping equipment and significant experience using it". 'Distance was 16km with 1100 metres of ascent, five to seven hours of hiking time. 'The weather remained excellent that Monday. The route is very obvious on the ground and also from the terrain when starting from Refuge de Venasque. 'It's basically impossible to get lost in good visibility here. 'The entire route is a well-made and easy to follow path." 'Although Esther believed and had warned family that there was poor signal in the area, in fact the signal is very good on the French side. 'Within half an hour of leaving the refuge, Esther should have been able to use her phone for most of the rest of the day.' - An investigating French source on Saturday said there was no 'immediate proof as to the identity of the remains' and that 'a medico-legal procedure will be followed to establish the identity of Person X in the days ahead.' One unconfirmed local report said the unnamed runner had come across a human skull. A Spanish radio station covering the province of Huesca which includes the town of Benasque where Esther began the hike she vanished on, said: 'Sources close to the investigation have indicated that the skull could correspond to Esther Dingley's because of the colour and length of the hair.' Scarlet: Quite baffling that the police and search teams didn't find her earlier if the bones were found on the route she was known to have taken? Surely the place she was last known to have been would've been the first place to check? The area had been searched for a long time and very extensively, before snowfall made the search teams stop. How come it was a runner who found the bones? Did Esther have an accident and did these bones somehow lay there all along? Or were they placed there later, somehow (this seems very unlikely but who knows). Time will tell us more, in this respect.
Update July 30th 2021. Human remains found in Pyrenees are confirmed to be missing British hiker Esther Dingley, 'distraught' boyfriend reveals
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The skull found last Friday was confirmed as Esther Dingley's by using dental records. The Oxford graduate disappeared in November while on a solo-hike in the Pyrenees. Police last week discovered a skull with long hair near the site where she last made contact with her boyfriend Dan Colegate and used dental records to confirm a match. Her mum Ria Dingley-Schoneveld and Colegate announced the news in a statement. They said: 'We are distraught to report that we have received DNA confirmation that one of the bones found last week belongs to Esther. 'We have all known for many months that the chance we would get to hug our beloved Esther again, to feel her warm hand in ours, to see her beautiful smile and to watch the room light up again whenever she arrived was tiny, but with this confirmation that small hope has now faded. It is devastating beyond words.' The statement added: 'At this stage, with just a single bone found and no sign of equipment or clothing in the immediate area (which has been closely searched again over several days), the details of what happened and where still remain unknown. 'The search and rescue teams intend to continue their search on foot and with drones, particularly trying to find some sign of Esther's equipment to understand how this tragedy occurred. 'The family would like to express their gratitude to the officers in charge of the various police units in France and Spain, the British consulates in Bordeaux and Barcelona, and LBT Global, all of whom have remained in close contact with us for months now. 'Their continued support and their determination to find answers is welcome.''At this stage, with just a single bone found and no sign of equipment or clothing in the immediate area (which has been closely searched again over several days), the details of what happened and where still remain unknown.'
Spanish police confirmed last Friday bones had been found near the spot where Oxford graduate went missing late last year. A mountain runner raised the alarm around 2pm after discovering what he believed could be the remains of a body. Spanish police went to the area but alerted their French counterparts after discovering the spot was just over the border. French police subsequently took charge of the investigation to try to confirm they were human remains and who they could belong to if so. The remains were found at Puerto de la Glera - Port de la Glera in France - which is close to the 8,796ft Pico Salvaguardia summit where Dingley last made contact with her partner around 4pm on November 22 last year. Specialist officers from Spain and France had carried out several searches of the area around the hiking trail. French police chief Jean-Marc Bordinaro, who has been involved in the search from day one, said after the find at the French mountain pass animals could have dragged the remains to the spot where they were discovered. 'Everything suggests that these bones were recently moved by animals. They would not have been there a few days earlier', he said. Brown bears and wolves are among the creatures roaming freely in the mountain range, where birds of prey such as vultures are also a common sight. Commander Bordinaro confirmed that police on both sides of the border were carrying out urgent searches to see if they can trace where the skull and related bones may have been hidden. Ms Dingley was carrying a distinctive yellow tent, and had a bright red-and-grey rucksack with her when she went missing, but no trace of either has been found. Both are made of hardwearing material that would last for years out in the open, including in the rugged Pyrenees countryside.Chief Executive of LBT Global, who have been supporting Dingley's boyfriend, Matthew Searle MBE said: 'This is the tragic end we have all feared. 'This is devastating news for Esther's loved ones – never before have I seen such incredible determination as that showed by Daniel in his relentless physical search of the mountains. 'We ask that media leave the family in peace at this incredibly difficult time. 'The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Esther's death is still very much in its infancy, and updates will be issued by LBT Global as they become available. 'For now, however, we urge that Esther's loved ones are left in peace to come to terms with this horrific news, and that online speculation is kept to a minimum. 'There will be no further statement or interview until further notice – please do not attempt to contact the family.'
Dan Colegate said Puerto de la Glera was part of the route he had expected her to take and insisted it would have been 'well within' her capabilities in a dossier he released in January through LBT Global. He wrote in the 23-page dossier, referring to key locations in France by their French name, about Esther's plans to do a circular hike between Spain and France which involved sleeping at a mountain refuge: 'An individual that Esther met on November 19 came forward to say he had specifically suggested this route through France, between Port de Venasque and Port de la Glere, to Esther when he met her. 'There is no reason to think that Esther did not stick to this plan.' He added, in a section titled 'Esther's Planned Onward Route', reflecting on the idea she reached the mountain refuge in France and slept there overnight before continuing what would have been a five to seven hike to return to her initial starting point in Spain. 'Her onward route would have involved a descent northwards towards the Hospice de France, a flat traverse westwards around the Imperatrice Way, and a climb southwards to the border at Port de la Glere. 'From the border the route descends back towards Hospital de Benasque. 'This route would have been well within Esther's capabilities for a day hike, in addition to the fact she had a tent, camping equipment and significant experience using it. 'Distance was 16km with 1100 metres of ascent, five to seven hours of hiking time. 'The weather remained excellent that Monday. The route is very obvious on the ground and also from the terrain when starting from Refuge de Venasque. 'It's basically impossible to get lost in good visibility here. 'The entire route is a well-made and easy to follow path. 'Although Esther believed and had warned family that there was poor signal in the area, in fact the signal is very good on the French side. 'Within half an hour of leaving the refuge, Esther should have been able to use her phone for most of the rest of the day.'
Last month a German clairvoyant already claimed that Esther was murderedJune 18th, 2021. [source] Michael Schneider had also spoken out about the cases of Madeleine McCann, Scarlett S. who disappeared in Germany and about the disappearance of Kris and Lisanne in Panama. I wrote about his work throughout my blog and in the just provided links.
"Psychic claims he now knows location of missing Brit hiker Esther Dingley who vanished in Pyrenees. The clairvoyant who has been advising cops about Madeleine McCann’s disappearance has now shared coordinates where he claims missing British hiker Esther Dingley’s dead body is buried. Michael Schneider believes Esther was killed and bundled into a vehicle before her body was dumped or buried by a stream six miles away from her last known location. The lead has been reported to investigating officers, and could come as a further devastating blow to Esther’s family, possibly dashing hopes she’ll be found alive. Now mountain rescue teams have resumed searching for the missing 37-year-old as her devastated boyfriend continues to scour the Pyrenees and has reportedly moved to the area in a bid to help find her. Specialist officers have been able to comb the 8,796ft Pico Salvaguardia summit where the Oxford graduate last made contact with partner Dan Colegate around 4pm on November 22.
Durham-born Ms Dingley was on a solo trek from Pic de Sauvegarde near the French-Spanish border in the Pyrenees when she last contacted Mr Colegate. They’d been travelling together but he was reportedly house-sitting at a French farmhouse. Sergeant Jorge Lopez Ramos, whose Greim elite mountain search and rescue team led the eight-day search for Esther last year, said snow on the north face of the peak on the French side of the border meant work there had to wait still until the summer. He also said officers were counting on the possibility of information from the hikers who throng the Pyrenees in the peak months of July and August if they found nothing earlier. Spanish Civil Guard officers who have been working on the ground will be supported by a helicopter from mid-June which have a permanent base in the town of Benasque where Esther had been stayed before vanishing. Mr Lopez Ramos said: “We have spent some time going into the mountains and seeing what the snow is like and looking at places where we think Esther could have had an accident. Extensive searches have so far unearthed no trace of her, prompting her boyfriend to speculate she could have been “taken against her will.” Mr Colegate has also been quizzed as a witness by investigating officers, and has rebutted claims they were in an unhappy relationship as “salacious nonsense”.
“In light of the new reports on the Esther Dingley case, I am still sure that she did not have a mountain accident, as has recently been speculated in the newspaper reports, but that Esther Dingley has fallen victim to a crime and is dead.”
Clairvoyant Michael Scheider, who has reportedly identified the remains of several other missing people, agreed saying: “The boyfriend has nothing to do with it. “I see a crime and that after her killing she was taken by car to the following coordinates or in their immediate vicinity and hidden there. “Either well hidden or buried or placed in the small stream next to it.” He added: “In light of the new reports on the Esther Dingley case, I am still sure that she did not have a mountain accident, as has recently been speculated in the newspaper reports, but that Esther Dingley has fallen victim to a crime and is dead.” Mr Schneider claims Ms Dingley’s remains can be found in Benasque, Huesca, Spain, which is about a 15 minute’s drive from her last known location, Pic de Sauvegarde. Eerie aerial photos show the desolate, forest-covered terrain where he claims Ms Dingley’s body can be found. Police have been informed of Mr Schneider’s claims and says it is “weighing up” the new information.
Mr Schneider, 50, a former TV reporter, recently also gave investigators the exact location of where he claims Madeleine McCann’s body is buried. She was three years old when vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal on May 3 in 2007. But Mr Schneider claims she is “unfortunately dead and buried in Portugal north east of Lagos”, about six miles away from the resort where the McCann family was staying. According to reports, Mr Schneider last month helped solve the case of a woman who went missing in Germany".
Dan also posted this image, which shows an update of all the walks he has made so far to trace any sign of Esther, viewed from France (so facing Spain in the south):
Tragic British hiker Esther Dingley may have been MURDERED, French investigator admits for the first time after failing to find any of her belongings or more remains near where skull fragment was discovered August 10th, 2021
Source
Esther Dingley went missing on November 22 while out hiking in the Pyrenees. Last month, human remains were discovered in a mountain pass and were later confirmed to be a fragment of the 37-year-old's skull. Searches of the area have yet to uncover any of her numerous pieces of kit. This may weaken the theory that she died after getting into an accident Christophe Amunzateguy, the French prosecutor leading the probe, said investigators were not ruling out any theories regarding cause of death. 'We are not closing the door to any hypothesis,' he said.
Police investigating the death of British hiker Esther Dingley have said publicly for the first time that she may have been murdered. Christophe Amunzateguy, the French prosecutor leading the probe, said investigators are not ruling out that her death may not have been accidental. 'The aim is to put forward a scenario to explain the disappearance of Esther Dingley,' he told The Sun. 'To find out what may have happened — whether it was an accidental thesis, or a criminal thesis, because we are not closing the door to any hypothesis.' Esther went missing on November 22 while out hiking in the Pyrenees, last month, human remains were found by Spanish hikers at Port de la Glere, a mountain pass on France's border with Spain, just south of Bagneres-de-Luchon. The trail is known as Puerto de la Glera in Spanish. The remains were later confirmed to be a piece of Esther's skull, however extensive subsequent searches have as yet revealed no further clues as to what happened to her. The 37-year-old Oxford graduate had numerous pieces of kit with her at the time of her disappearance, including a bright red and grey rucksack and a distinctive yellow tent which are yet to be found. The gear was made of durable, brightly coloured materials and would be expected to have remained in good condition despite months-long exposure to the elements. 'When this clothing and kit does turn up, it is likely to answer a lot of questions — or pose some more. 'Finding out what happened remains a priority,' The Sun reported a spokesman for Esther's family as saying.
Police investigating the death of British hiker Esther Dingley have said publicly for the first time that she may have been murdered. Christophe Amunzateguy, the French prosecutor leading the probe, said investigators are not ruling out that her death may not have been accidental. 'The aim is to put forward a scenario to explain the disappearance of Esther Dingley,' he told The Sun. 'To find out what may have happened — whether it was an accidental thesis, or a criminal thesis, because we are not closing the door to any hypothesis.' Esther went missing on November 22 while out hiking in the Pyrenees, last month, human remains were found by Spanish hikers at Port de la Glere, a mountain pass on France's border with Spain, just south of Bagneres-de-Luchon. The trail is known as Puerto de la Glera in Spanish. The remains were later confirmed to be a piece of Esther's skull, however extensive subsequent searches have as yet revealed no further clues as to what happened to her. The 37-year-old Oxford graduate had numerous pieces of kit with her at the time of her disappearance, including a bright red and grey rucksack and a distinctive yellow tent which are yet to be found. The gear was made of durable, brightly coloured materials and would be expected to have remained in good condition despite months-long exposure to the elements. 'When this clothing and kit does turn up, it is likely to answer a lot of questions — or pose some more. 'Finding out what happened remains a priority,' The Sun reported a spokesman for Esther's family as saying.
Investigators initially suggested that Esther's remains may have been moved to the well-trod trail where the bone fragment was discovered by an animal, after the hiker perhaps died in a fall. But the fact that none of her kit has yet been uncovered may add weight to the theory that her death was not accidental. Specialist teams in France and Spain are continuing the search for other remains and Esther's kit in the mountainous border region. Tests on the bone fragment confirmed to be part of Esther's skull are ongoing and it is not yet clear whether the remains will offer any indication of her cause of death. Esther's boyfriend Dan Colegate, and her mother Ria Bryant, 74, are assisting with the investigation. Colegate has expressed disbelief at the theory that Esther may have died after becoming injured during her solo hike as she was an experienced hiker who should have had no problem with the route she is believed to have taken. The search for the then-missing hiker was called off in February because of deteriorating weather, but it resumed in the spring. In her last known message, sent to Colegate on November 22, Esther wrote: 'Might dip into France. Hoping Refuge Venasque has a winter room. Keep you posted when can. Love you xxx'. Colegate wrote a 23-page report about Esther's plans to do a circular hike between Spain and France which involved sleeping at a mountain refuge. He said in his dossier: 'An individual that Esther met on November 19 came forward to say he had specifically suggested this route through France, between Port de Venasque and Port de la Glere, to Esther when he met her. There is no reason to think that Esther did not stick to this plan.' In a section titled 'Esther's Planned Onward Route', he suggested she reached the mountain refuge in France and slept there overnight before continuing a hike to return to her initial starting point in Spain. He said: 'Her onward route would have involved a descent northwards towards the Hospice de France, a flat traverse westwards around the Imperatrice Way, and a climb southwards to the border at Port de la Glere. From the border the route descends back towards Hospital de Benasque. 'This route would have been well within Esther's capabilities for a day hike, in addition to the fact she had a tent, camping equipment and significant experience using it. 'Distance was 16km with 1100 metres of ascent, five to seven hours of hiking time. The weather remained excellent that Monday. The route is very obvious on the ground and also from the terrain when starting from Refuge de Venasque. 'It's basically impossible to get lost in good visibility here. The entire route is a well-made and easy to follow path. Although Esther believed and had warned family that there was poor signal in the area, in fact the signal is very good on the French side. 'Within half an hour of leaving the refuge, Esther should have been able to use her phone for most of the rest of the day.' The couple, both Oxford graduates, had been travelling around Europe in a camper van for years after quitting their careers and Durham home."
The Sun article states:"POLICE probing the death of hiker Esther Dingley have admitted for the first time that she may have been murdered. The experienced adventurer had more than 30 pieces of kit including a rucksack and survival gear made from tough, durable materials, much of it brightly coloured. Search teams had believed a wild bear or wolf may have moved the bone fragment close to a well-used trail after Esther died in a fall. But if that theory is correct, it is likely clothes and equipment would have been scattered across the rugged Port de la Glere mountain pass and been found by now. They were being supported by her partner Dan, 38, who is out on the mountain every day looking for clues, and her mother Ria Byrant.
Pathologists are still carrying out tests on the bone shard found by Spanish hikers last month in a bid to establish a cause of death. A key part of the inquiry will be to work out if there are animal bites on the skull or whether severe force caused it to break up. It was found next to a hiking trail and was not spotted before — indicating that it was moved. Searchers believe the rest of Esther’s remains may still be hidden in a remote cave or gulley. A spokesman for her family said yesterday: “When this clothing and kit does turn up, it is likely to answer a lot of questions — or pose some more. “Finding out what happened remains a priority.”
So, her last known place, Refuge Venasque
may be a place of interest here.
Dan finds Esther Dingley's body
August 10th, 2021
"MEDIA UPDATE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – ESTHER DINGLEY’S BODY FOUND. Yesterday, on the afternoon of 9 August, Esther Dingley's body and equipment were found together in the Pyrenees, close to where a bone was discovered two weeks ago. The discovery was made by Esther’s partner Daniel Colegate, following relentless search efforts by him since her disappearance. A team of forensic specialists along with mountain rescue personnel were dispatched to the site in order to catalogue the scene and recover Esther. At this stage an accident is the most likely hypothesis, given the location and other early indications. A full investigation is underway to confirm the details surrounding this tragedy. The family remain incredibly grateful for the efforts of the police units involved and their commitment to understanding the exact circumstances of Esther's death. LBT Global are supporting Daniel and Esther's mother, Ria, as they come to terms with this news. Updates to media will be issued by LBT Global as they become available. For now, however, we urge that Esther’s loved ones are left in peace, and that speculation is kept to a minimum. There will be no further statement or interview until further notice – please do not attempt to contact the family. ENDS"
Daily Mail reports that only Esther's tent is still missing. "Yesterday's grim discovery comes hours after French investigators admitted for the first time that Esther's death may have been a murder and they 'are not closing the door to any hypothesis'. A team of forensic specialists and mountain rescue personnel were sent to the site where her remains were found to 'catalogue the scene and recover Esther' said an investigating source. ‘They have set up a survey area in the spot where the missing person’s body was recovered, and are gathering as much new evidence as possible. ‘Some of her equipment was recovered, but the yellow tent is not among the articles found.’ Missing equipment including Esther’s Lanshun ½ Ultralight tent have always been considered crucial to solving the mystery, because of the forensic clues it is likely to yield. The team are made of Criminal Investigation Technicians (ICTs in French) from Toulouse, supported by high mountain police from nearby Luchon, and military personnel. Esther’s body was found by Mr Colegate on Monday afternoon, close to where a portion of her skull was discovered two weeks ago. There was no immediate information as to how police managed to miss the human remains, but the source said it was in a ‘natural hideway’, such as a gully, cave, or hidden behind rocks. 'At this stage an accident is the most likely hypothesis, given the location and other early indications', today's statement added. 'A full investigation is underway to confirm the details surrounding this tragedy".Esther Dingley’s boyfriend ‘paced up and down for DAYS’ retracing British hiker’s steps until he discovered her body on ‘treacherous’ Pyrenees trail as police continue to blame the weather for not finding her themselves
"Captain Jean Marc Bordinaro said Dan Colegate concentrated on the rocky terrain near where part of her skull had been found last month, locating her body about 400m from the remote peak of Pic de la Glere which straddles the French Spanish border in the Pyrenees. Her skull was found 600 metres away further south down a twisting path that experienced hikers have described as 'treacherous'. The body of the 37-year-old has now been taken to the French city of Toulouse where pathologist are checking for broken bones which would support investigators theory that she died after a fall. Forensic officers are also examining Esther's phone - a £270 Redmi Note 9 Pro - in the hope pictures saved on the memory or signals sent from the device could help police solve the mystery of her death. Captain Bordinaro said the distance between where the body and skull were found was '100 metres as the crow flies' - but in reality, the hilly terrain on the rock-strewn path meant they were separated by 600 metres. Public prosecutor Cristophe Amunzateguy said high winds and rain prevented the use of drones and a helicopter in the search. Captain Bordinaro, head of the police in St Gaudans, said Mr Colegate was best placed to locate the skeletal remains on the 2300metre high peak. 'Dan had paced the area up and down, taking Esther's abilities into account,' he said. 'He is a good hiker, a professional, and he has hiked in the Alps before.' He blamed 'terrible weather' for failing to find Esther's corpse before it was pinpointed by Mr Colegate. 'We had already searched this area this winter with a helicopter and on foot, but we had been hampered by snow, our search was unsuccessful especially since it is very rugged terrain. 'In the past few weeks, we haven't been back to look specifically in this area. The Spanish investigators had surveyed this sector, but on the Spanish side. 'Esther's Dingley's body was found at the northern slope of Pic de Gléré. 'Her skull was discovered not far from the Port of Gléré, about 100 meters from where the rest of the body was found. It is a very hilly area. 'The most probable hypothesis is that the skull was moved by an animal.' Search teams directed to the area by Mr Colegate on Monday found Ms Dingley's grey rucksack and a water bottle. Her yellow tent has not been found. Police recovered her mobile phone - a £270 Redmi Note 9 Pro - and sent the camera to forensic officers for examination. The phone was switched off for much of the walk to conserve battery, but police hope pictures stored in the memory and signals sent from the device may hold clues to the case. A source told the Sun: 'Phones are always crucial to solving cases like this. This is why the device will be picked over by the forensics officers working on the case. 'As far as the ongoing investigation is concerned, it is easily the most important bit of equipment.'"
British hiker Esther Dingley ‘fell almost 100ft to her death after losing her footing on rocky ledge in the Pyrenees before a bear or wolf dragged her skull away from her body’ investigators reveal
[source] "British hiker Esther Dingley ‘fell almost 100ft to her death after losing her footing on rocky ledge in the Pyrenees before a bear or wolf dragged her skull away from her body’ investigators reveal. British hiker Esther Dingley fell almost 100ft to her death after losing her footing on a rocky ledge close to the peak of a mountain in the Pyrenees, according to French investigators. They believe she plunged down a steep rock-strewn slope near to the 2,300ft summit of the Pic de la Glere which straddles the French-Spanish border. Items from her rucksack, including her phone were found scattered on a rocky ledge spread close to remains of her body that were discovered earlier this week by her boyfriend Dan Colegate. In an exclusive interview with MailOnline the Public prosecutor in charge of the investigation Christophe Amunzateguy admitted the events leading to the Dingley’s death might never be known. He said: ‘The exact and precise circumstances of the death we will never know, a person who falls, and the condition of the body, make the investigation very complicated.' The prosecutor said all the evidence so far gathered by his forensic teams points to an accidental death. He is waiting for the results of an autopsy before making public his findings. ‘The accidental theory is now more than strong because the body was found directly below a kind of rocky peak,’ he said. ‘We believed that Esther would have fallen because along this wall, we found items that belonged to her and they ended up at the bottom. ‘We estimate the fall at about twenty or even thirty meters.’Pathologists in the French city of Toulouse have carried out an autopsy on the remains that were located about 437 yards (400m) from the top of the Pic de la Glere, a popular spot for hikers who walk along the French-Spanish border. Mr Amunzateguy, the public prosecutor for Saint-Gaudens – said the remains were badly decomposed and despite the efforts of pathologists it might not be possible to determine an exact cause of death. He said: 'This autopsy is to confirm, with the remains of the body that we could find, if there was a fall and what could be the exact causes of death. ‘The body is badly decomposed, and the snow has aggravated the decomposition of the body.' The prosecutor revealed items that had been found close to her body included her mobile phone. He said the phone had been examined and had yet not given up any clues to the final moments of the experienced hiker. 'We'll see what we can do with it, but we already know what the last calls were,’ he said. ‘We will continue the investigations, but I repeat, we are still focusing on an accident.’ Forensic teams have not yet located her ultra-lightweight yellow tent. The prosecutor said Mr Colegate had spent weeks searching the area once the snow melted around the high peaks. ‘Dan Colegate had undertaken to search for himself, and he told us where the body was on Monday afternoon,' said the prosecutor. ‘He contacted the gendarmerie as he had direct numbers because he collaborated in the investigation.' A police source in Bagneres de Lucon, where the search teams were based, said 38-year-old Mr Colegate had never been considered a suspect. Police chief Jean Marc Bordinaro said Mr Colegate had been best placed to look for his girlfriend as he was familiar with her hiking abilities and had ‘paced up and down the area’ in his personal search."
Esther Dingley ‘died instantly after slipping in worn hiking boots and plunging 100ft off a rocky ledge’, as investigators say 37-year-old British hiker’s death was ‘100 per cent an accident’
[source] "British hiker Esther Dingley died instantly after falling 100ft from a rocky ledge, an autopsy has concluded. The 37-year-old suffered multiple bone fractures in the fall, which was '100 per cent an accident', a source at the prosecutor's office said. 'The final report will be compiled, but effectively the case will be seen as closed.'In an exclusive interview with MailOnline the Public prosecutor in charge of the investigation Christophe Amunzateguy suggested Dingley had lost her footing as she was wearing a pair of worn hiking boots that failed to give her any grip on the rocky path. Dingley was wearing a pair of worn La Sportiva hiking shoes, rather than a Kahtoola Microspikes traction system that she had with her. The spikes are marketed as the ‘gold standard’ crampon-style add-ons for mountains ‘in frozen conditions’. Mr Amunzateguy said the shoes were worn after months of use, and ‘clearly the soles were a bit smooth’. He admitted the events leading to the Dingley’s death might never be known. He said: ‘The exact and precise circumstances of the death we will never know, a person who falls, and the condition of the body, make the investigation very complicated.' The prosecutor said all the evidence so far gathered by his forensic teams points to an accidental death. He is waiting for the results of an autopsy before making public his findings. ‘The accidental theory is now more than strong because the body was found directly below a kind of rocky peak,’ he said. ‘We believed that Esther would have fallen because along this wall, we found items that belonged to her and they ended up at the bottom. ‘We estimate the fall at about twenty or even thirty meters.’ Items from her rucksack, including her phone were found scattered on a rocky ledge spread close to remains of her body that were discovered earlier this week by Colegate."
Video footage of the earlier
searches for esther Dingley
Dan wrote on August 13th"Dear Friends,
I expect some of you will have seen some of the recent statements made by the French authorities overseeing the investigation into Esther's death. Myself and Esther's mum visited the lead investigator in Toulouse this morning and they provided us with all the information they have at this time. It is, of course, up to them now to release that information once it is formally confirmed. The purpose of this post is simply to express my, and the rest of the family's, continued gratitude and admiration for the work done by all of the various police teams that have been involved on both sides of the border -since day one of the search - both of the search and rescue units and both of the investigative teams. I simply don't have the vocabulary to fully express how challenging these past months have been, but I am certain that without the support, courage and determination of the individuals assigned to lead this case and their team members, those difficulties would have been significantly increased. We've thanked everyone in person already, but I wanted to say it publicly. Having experienced first hand how hard it was to find answers, I honestly don't think they could have done more. The only difference between me and them was that I only had a single task, while they continued to rescue others as well. They are heroes. Thank you all, from the bottom of our hearts".
I’ve always found that writing helps me make sense of the world, in the same way Esther took pictures to share her joy. But today I’m struggling to extract any sense from the chaos, or frankly to even see the keyboard through the bouts of tears. But I also feel this is important to do today following on from some of the many messages we’ve received in the past few days. In the days or weeks ahead, Esther will be returned to us. Years ago, we promised each other that on our 70th anniversary we’d walk hand in hand on the same beach we visited on our first anniversary. We’d eat chips, play in the arcade again, fail to win any cuddly toys, and reflect on all of our many adventures before, hopefully, slipping away together in time – still holding hands if we could. In the end we only got 19 of those years. It’s more than a lot of people get with a soul mate, but (selfishly) it isn’t nearly enough. She’d already taught me so much about how to live, how to love and how to live a multicoloured life. That’s what she called our lifestyle, the beautiful, trusting, simple way that she used to squeeze in so much joy into every waking moment. I honestly believe our best years were yet to come. Knowing that Esther didn’t suffer, that she was doing what she loved and that our last words were “I love you” will (perhaps), one day give more comfort than I can find today. I also hope I can find a way forward that honours Esther’s spirit, though I haven’t a clue yet what that looks like. Of course, Esther also had a backup plan – she always did. That’s why, when the time is right and after a very small family service, her ashes will be scattered in the places she loved the most. She’d have done the same for me – and we’d already agreed on those places. And that’s why I’m writing this.
Following suggestions from some of you, in lieu of flowers and cards etc., I’ve set up a fundraising page to raise money for a charity close to Esther’s heart – Sightsavers, who work to cure preventable blindness (The Royal Commonwealth Society For The Blind- https://www.sightsavers.org/) Sharing the beauty of the world was another of Esther’s passions. It’s why she set up all of our social media in the first place and posted so many pictures. That anybody should be unable to see this amazing universe we inhabit, for totally preventable reasons, hurt her deeply. I’ve set a target of £5000, just a few pounds more than Esther raised last year in her epic NHS bike challenge. I hope we can reach that goal. https://www.gofundme.com/f/t8gevj-remembering-esther At the same time, if you would like to, please leave a message on that fundraising page. If you want to share a personal memory, long or short, named or anonymous, if you would like to then just speak to Esther. My commitment is to read out each message to Esther when we do lay her to rest. I think she’d like that. And, if aren’t able to donate at the moment or would just prefer to send a message privately, please do so via the Facebook page or blog – and I’ll read those to Esther as well. Thank you all.p.s. Not sure when I’ll post again, but I will be leaving all of our pages online – they’re the second best testimonial to Esther that I can think of. The best is simply to live life bravely, and gently, and kindly, and to smile at strangers. Because that’s who my angel was".
RIP Esther and thank you Dan, for never giving up and being
the one to find your beloved Esther.
