Over the past week, three search and rescue operations have been started for tourists who have gone missing during treks on far-flung islands, including one for the popular TV presenter Michael Mosley, who was found dead on the island of Symi.
In recent days, emergency services have also been called out to two other far-flung islands, Samos and Amorgos, to look for an elderly Dutch man and a US national who disappeared on hiking trails.
Eric Calibet, 59, a retired Los Angeles police officer and regular visitor to Amorgos, was last seen on Tuesday making a solo trek across the Cycladic isle. He had set out at 7am to hike for four hours, on a day when temperatures were slated to exceed 37C. By late Thursday, nearly 48 hours after the friend he was staying with alerted police about his failure to return, Calibet was still missing. His last known contact is believed to be a message he sent from his mobile phone to his sister.
A search operation on Samos – involving a rescue team, four drones, a sniffer dog brought in from Athens and a Frontex EU border agency helicopter – has also failed to find the 74-year-old Dutch national, who had similarly embarked on a five-hour hike when he vanished.
Visitors to Greece appear ill informed about heatwave risk
Eric Calibet, 59, a retired Los Angeles police officer
temperatures were slated to exceed 37C.
That’s 98°F. That’s not incredibly hot by California standards.
I doubt that a Californian visiting Greece is unfamiliar with high temperatures. In general, the US sees greater temperature extremes than Europe, and while Greece is hot as Europe goes, California is home to the hottest temperatures in the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_extreme_temperatures_in_Greece
Greece holds the record for the highest maximum temperature recorded in Continental Europe, with 48.0 °C in Elefsina and Tatoi (both located in the Athens metropolitan area) Greece holds the record for the highest maximum temperature recorded in Continental Europe, with 48.0 °C in Elefsina and Tatoi (both located in the Athens metropolitan area)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._state_and_territory_temperature_extremes
California: 134 °F (56.7 °C)
Los Angeles itself is coastal, so more moderate, but it still gets rather hotter than 98°F.
https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/los-angeles
The highest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles, California was 110 °F which occurred on September 26, 1963.
That’d be 43°C.
Did any of them take adequate water? You should also consider that even if he still lives in LA, does he actually go on hikes when it’s almost 100 F or does he sit in his air conditioned home, or drink coffee in an air conditioned cafe?
does he sit in his air conditioned home
Lived in SoCal for about 10 years and never lived in a place with ac
I live in Canada and I’ve never lived in a place without AC
As an Australian, originally from Ireland I’m surprised California would be hottest place. I would have though Australia or middle east would be hotter than California. I’ve loved a summer in San Diego and it was hot but not stifling. Sydney is not crazy hot by Australian standards and its oppressive heat when a heatwave comes.
Saying that, I’m now more familiar with how much humidity plays a part. Dry heat like 40degrees in Adelaide is much more comfortable than humid 35 in Sydney. When its 43 in Sydney, its best to stay inside. I’ve never been to Greece but if its similar to other Mediterranean countries, I’d say its moderately humid, rather than dry. California is similar I’d imagine, but a little drier.
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Californians don’t live in Death Valley.
The countries with the hottest temperatures in inhabited areas are places like Kuwait.
No, but they live in LA where it is still hotter than it was in Greece.
Reading this title has me thinking. Would I rather die during my dream vacation, or live another three miserable years?
So, there are no weather reports in Greece? No TV, newspapers, radio, or Internet? All these tourists just show up and hope they can find a local who is a polyglot meteorologist?
