Urgent search for Brit retired doctor, 67, who vanished in Pyrenees after sending gut-wrenching SOS message to family
A BRIT doctor has vanished in the French Pyrenees after sending an alarming message to his family.
Tom Doherty, 67, headed on a walking camping trip on Saturday last week before disappearing on Tuesday.
The retired doctor and father-of-four sent a terrifying message to his family Whatsapp group at around 7pm the day he went missing.
The gut-wrenching message read: “Help, I’ve fallen and cannot move.”
No one has heard from him since.
A massive search is now underway involving dogs and helicopters.
Tom’s niece Kat Waterhouse told The Sun: “No one’s been able to reach him since.
“The helicopter’s been out in search and rescue, and been doing everything that they can, but there’s been absolutely nothing.
“It sounds very much like he’s injured himself.
“I mean, the helicopter hasn’t seen him so he could have dragged himself into shelter.
“He’s a doctor, so he’s quite resourceful. But we haven’t a clue.”
According to his family, Tom was a respected consultant of Tropical medicine who worked around the world and specialised in Malaria.
Tom’s car was found near Col D’Escots and the family believe he is walking near Cirque De Gerac.
His wife and one of his daughters have been at his last known location since Wednesday morning.
Kat said his jacket was found in the car but the tent is missing and could be with Tom.
She continued: “What we don’t know is whether he has that tent with him currently, or whether he’s made himself a campsite somewhere and then gone off hiking.
“He’s travelling alone.”
Kat went on to say how she and the family are “shocked” at the situation but trying to remain positive.
She said: “We’ve got to be hopeful, haven’t we?”
Tom’s daughter Rachel Doherty told PA: “He was sending us a few pictures of the scenery and then on Tuesday afternoon sent us one of clouds coming over the top of a mountain. He said ‘bugger’.
“We told him to be careful and urged him to come down.
“We’re obviously very worried and extremely concerned for his welfare.”
Tom’s petrified family have all flown out to help find him.