The map above shows the north of the island of Symi. It belongs to Greece but is in the eastern part of the Aegean Sea very close to Turkey. It is a pretty barren island with a full-time population of less than 2500. However, in the summer holiday months, that number may be trebled.
Last Wednesday an English holidaymaker called Michael Mosley was on holiday with his wife and some friends. They were enjoying Saint Nicholas Beach in the bottom right hand corner of the map.
Michael said he was feeling a little unwell and set off back to their holiday accommodation in Symi town which is over in the bottom left of the map. it took forty minutes to successfully walk to Pedi - a fishing village just right of centre. He was spotted there on CCTV cameras.
Travelling west upon a quiet paved road, he would have had only two kilometres to go before reaching Symi town. However, inexplicably he did not go west, he headed to the north east instead upon a rocky path that leads to Agia Marina to the top right hand corner of the map.
Agia Marina is a small resort and there's no road there. Most visitors arrive by boat from Symi town's harbour. Michael was walking there in the heat of the day, feeling unwell and holding an umbrella to give him some shade from the searing sunshine.
He didn't make it. After five days, his body was discovered next to the perimeter fencing at Agia Marina's tiny resort. He was just thirty metres from the beach. Almost there. So near but yet so far.
This story has received a lot of attention here in Great Britain because Dr Michael Mosley was a well-know TV personality - specialising in health-related matters - including dieting and generally looking after your body. He was a a great communicator and passionate about all things health-related
It is therefore quite ironic that he probably died from heat exhaustion after taking a wrong turn out of Pedi. Local Greeks would not choose to go walking like that in the heat of the mid-afternoon sun. The temperature at the time was estimated to be 40℃. Such a tragedy but I suppose that it could have happened to any of us.
Heat exhaustion may cause disorientation and weakness. It is easy to feel faint or dizzy and of course there's the problem of dehydration. If only the rewind button could be pressed on Michael Mosley's life. He was a fit sixty seven year old with four grown up children and a loving wife. His demise came far too early.
from Yorkshire Pudding https://ift.tt/EX58SlN