Friends of a London scientist who vanished on a Greek holiday island today said “time is crucial” as a major search operation entered its third day.
Police, firefighters and coastguard patrols have been joined by volunteers hunting for astrophysicist Dr Natalie Christopher, 35, on the Aegean island of Ikaria.
Naval helicopters equipped with thermal imaging cameras were today called in to scour the rocky landscape.
Dr Christopher was reported missing by her Cypriot boyfriend, 38, after failing to return from a morning jog on Monday, with the couple due to fly back home to Cyprus later that day.
He told Protothema News that when he called her mobile she told him she was running in a rocky part of the island, and promised to be careful.
“I can’t go fast, I’ll be back slowly, don’t worry,” he says she told him. He said that when he called again later there was no response, and he informed the owner of the hotel where they were staying who contacted the police.
Friend Hannah Prescott, 37, said Dr Christopher’s last-known movements were in a “remote mountainous area where she was running”, and that they hoped her watch could provide clues as to where she is.
She said: “Natalie was wearing a Suunto Ambit 3 watch when she disappeared, and we’re hoping we could use this to track her. This is now day three and time is crucial.”
Ms Prescott, a writer and illustrator from Scotland, told the Standard: “Everyone is extremely worried. Where she was running is just the middle of nowhere. We really feel for her boyfriend and friends and family.
“We don’t know what has happened. She is a very experienced trail runner.”
She added: “She is just the most friendly, kindest person. She does so much community work and trying to help the conflict in Cyprus. It is very worrying.”
Dr Christopher moved to Nicosia on Cyprus from London around 11 years ago, where she is a researcher at the European University Cyprus.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are assisting the family of a British woman reported missing in Ikaria, and are in contact with the Greek authorities who are conducting the search for her.”
Dr Christopher’s disappearance follows another incident last month when American scientist Suzanne Eaton was allegedly raped and murdered in Crete.
