A search operation is in progress for a renowned British doctor and medical journalist who disappeared while vacationing in Greece, CNN reported. Dr. Michael Mosley, known for popularizing intermittent fasting for weight loss, embarked on a hike along St Nicholas Beach on the island of Symi at 1:30 pm on Wednesday but did not return, his agent confirmed. Symi is a sparsely populated, rocky island approximately 17 km long with around 2500 inhabitants.
Greek police stated that a comprehensive search and rescue mission involving firefighters, civil protection personnel, volunteers, a sniffer dog, a helicopter, and drones has been ongoing since Wednesday. Authorities suspect that he might have been affected by the heat during his walk.
“They are working on the theory he may have been impacted by the heat and fallen. The area they’re searching where he was walking is only 3 km away, but it is quite rugged, so they are trying to focus on that area (the walking track),” Mylee Hogan said.
The doctor is credited with the growing popularity of the 5:2 diet for weight loss
A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who is missing in Greece and are in contact with the local authorities.” An appeal for information was posted in a Symi Facebook group on Wednesday along with a photo of Mr. Mosley standing on a beach and holding a backpack.
The doctor is credited with the growing popularity of the 5:2 diet for weight loss, which entails fasting for two days per week. The diet blends intermittent fasting with a low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean-style meal plan. Celebrities such as Benedict Cumberbatch and Jimmy Kimmel have adopted the diet.
He later introduced the Fast 800 diet, a rapid weight loss program, where dieters limit their calorie intake to 800 a day for at least two weeks before transitioning to the 5:2 program. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2002 for an outstanding non-fiction special (informational) after executive producing the 2001 BBC mini-series ‘The Human Face’ which explored the science behind facial beauty, expression, and fame.
The 67-year-old is also well known in the UK for programs including the BBC series ‘Trust Me, I’m a Doctor.’ He also appeared on BBC’s ‘The One Show’ and ITV’s ‘This Morning.’
Mosley was born in India in 1957 and moved to England at the age of seven to attend boarding school. He has four children with his wife, Clare Bailey Mosley, who is also a doctor, author, and health columnist.