Matthew Hall, 33, remains missing after setting off for a hike in the Alps, sparking serious concerns among police over the area’s treacherous gullies and ravines.
The Hull-born Brit was last seen on July 9, leaving his hotel in Chiavenna, Italy, for a hike. He was due to fly back to Manchester on Saturday, but with no contact made, his family describes living through a “nightmare.” All attempts to reach him have so far failed.
Initially, the hotel’s owners assumed Matthew was taking early morning hikes after he missed breakfast for several days. But alarm bells rang when he failed to check out — his belongings untouched, his backpack missing.
Police have since shared more details about his last-known movements. One of the 20 rescuers searching the area — backed by a helicopter — told The Times they are particularly “concerned because there are plenty of dangerous gullies and ravines in that area.”
His mother, Sara Foster, said her worry deepened when Matthew missed his scheduled flight. “It was typical for Matthew to avoid contact abroad to save on data charges, but now I was really worrying — though not yet panicking,” she admitted.
Waiting at home, Sara says she’s been “blown sideways” by the overwhelming support from both Matthew’s friends and the public. She’s especially grateful to the friends who have flown out to join the search teams, spending time analyzing the last photo he sent to trace its exact location.
Quickline Communications, Matthew’s employer in Hull, is sending six staff members to aid the search. Sara, who works for Home Instead, said: “I feel like I’m living someone else’s nightmare, but the way his friends have acted has been unbelievable. I didn’t know them all before — now I do.”
She added: “I’ve realized how deeply loved he is. This morning, I heard from the search team — apparently, five teams are out looking for him.” The last known clue is a photo of the cross at Alpe Daloo, near San Giacomo Filippo, which Matthew sent on the day he vanished.
Ben Lee, a close friend, is among the group searching in Chiavenna. He confirmed a local girl spotted Matthew at a church on the day he disappeared. “It kind of confirmed the route he was taking before another sighting later that day,” he said. “We’ve got mountain rescue out — four teams, three helicopters — and they’re going to keep searching.”
