Found Deceased Spain - Esther Dingley, from UK, missing in the Pyrenees, November 2020

[PommyMommy]

<modsnip> I almost put a note/caveat in my last few posts warning about DM “lifting” speculation/interpretation they read here (or in comments elsewhere), but decided that would be too provocative .

I’m glad that family have found support & have a designated spokesperson. Hopefully the spokesperson will be able to communicate directly with investigators & elucidate the *facts*.

Yes, perhaps I should have typed, "BOX of salt." MOO

 

[ZaZara]

La misteriosa desaparición de la montañera inglesa Esther Dingley

Eighteen days have passed since the disappearance in Benasque of the English hiker Esther Dingley, 37 years of age, and despite the fact that the intense search in and around the Salvaguardia peak has not yielded any results, the Guardia Civíl maintains as its main hypothesis a hiking accident, unaffected by the speculations of the press in that country about other possible causes.

The search was interrupted by the snow storm on Friday and will not be resumed for the time being given the winter conditions. "It is useless to search in a place with more than half a metre of snow," according to Sergeant Jorge López, head of the Greim de Benasque. "This does not mean that we will give up on finding her until spring, because the rescue teams will take their training plan to the valleys where her trail was lost. The last time she was heard from was at the Salvaguardia peak and this is where we will return once the snow disappears."

"It is where she is most likely to be and, although we have already searched a lot, we want to be sure," he added.

The Guardia Civil cannot rule out any possibility of the disappearance of the hiker who was walking alone, because "a great effort has been made in the search without result", according to the sergeant. However, the Guardia Civíl continues to work on the basis that the "most probable" cause is an accident. It would not be the first time that a hiker appears in a place that was already searched without success. "When someone gets lost in the mountains, the first hypothesis is always that they are in the mountains," he said.


BBM

 

[Quietey]

Welcome to WS! Do you have a link to this new report? Please and thank you.

ETA: I’m looking for this myself and can’t find it in the Daily Mail? Or anywhere, in fact.

It in the version of the Daily Mail that you access through PressReader.com - here's the link:

PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

It in the version of the Daily Mail that you access through PressReader.com - here's the link:

PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines.

But it’s been pulled from the DM. I can only assume either it was wrong information, or the police asked for it be deleted due to their investigations.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

<>
"When someone gets lost in the mountains, the first hypothesis is always that they are in the mountains," he said.


BBM

It is still the #1 most likely scenario since there is very little to suggest that there was foul play, or that Esther is still alive somewhere.

I keep hoping for an alternative that means she might be safe and well, because otherwise it could be months until she is found.

 

[GinaSeikwa]

I’m ruling out voluntary disappearance despite what Mr. Ballerin was quoted as saying about her desire to possibly travel to Toulouse. Any other time in history perhaps but not right now during the pandemic. The confinement is very strict. Even in the Aragon region of Spain where she was staying there was a curfew in effect from 23h to 6h while she was there. Along with masks at all times, public places closed or capped etc. . She would have been aware of all these rules and complications.
To travel to Toulouse by train/ bus she would have had to show ID and have her contact information kept for weeks because of contact tracing procedures. She also would need to have her “permission paper” on her to be out and about. The police and civil guard presence is real. The situation is taken very seriously there by residents. Also traveling by public transport in the region is challenging in normal busy times. I can’t imagine the lack of options during a pandemic.
Accident or foul play is the most likely scenario given the circumstances. Suicide where she is hidden as well sadly another possibility.

 

[Skiptolou]

<snipped for focus>

Have the lakes actually been searched? One of the witnesses Snr Ballarin has mentioned the lakes are "quite deep and not transparent at all in a lot of parts" so an overhead check by drone/helicopter might not be enough. Appreciate they might be frozen by now though.

Perhaps they prioritised trying to find ED alive. They only had a limited time period before the weather got worse, so searching the lakes would have wasted valuable time and resources.

 

[talby66]

You've got to be kidding, on the same day that Estheranddan have a new media advisory group they issue a statement to the daily fail: "But Matt Searle, spokesman for Esther’s family and Mr Colgate, told MailOnline: ‘Daniel and Esther’s family are extremely interested to find out who was inside the camper with the lights on." which is immediately countered by the very same media advisory group "Police have confirmed that the light seen in the campervan was due to their presence."

Day by day I feel this is getting rather like a very well known portuguese case!

 

[Kaykedi]

Well, as far as I can see, the pulled “quote” from Sr Ballarin says he gave her a lift on the 21st.

Mystery Hiker’s lift was supposedly 19th, according to other reports/social media.

Anything is possible, IMO, when reading or relying on UK redtop reporting. They’re not particularly well known for accuracy... .

Agreed! I'm going to sound like a raging ageist now, but, if Sr Ballarin is the mystery hiker who gave Esther a lift, and, no other male

You've got to be kidding, on the same day that Estheranddan have a new media advisory group they issue a statement to the daily fail: "But Matt Searle, spokesman for Esther’s family and Mr Colgate, told MailOnline: ‘Daniel and Esther’s family are extremely interested to find out who was inside the camper with the lights on." which is immediately countered by the very same media advisory group "Police have confirmed that the light seen in the campervan was due to their presence."

Day by day I feel this is getting rather like a very well known portuguese case!

What on earth?!

 

[PeggyHenry]

I was out walking my dogs tonight - it was pitch black and quiet along the lane. Although there were houses and it wasn’t very remote.. I started to imagine being alone, hiking out there in the mountains, especially when light begins to fade. I think you’d have to be a very brave and determined female to do that alone. It is not something I could even contemplate as I know I would feel horribly anxious and scared. My imagination would run riot.
Hats off to Esther and all the others who can do this... I’m envious really. They must get to experience wonderful things. But their courage is immense.

 

[Ruthbullock]

I was out walking my dogs tonight - it was pitch black and quiet along the lane. Although there were houses and it wasn’t very remote.. I started to imagine being alone, hiking out there in the mountains, especially when light begins to fade. I think you’d have to be a very brave and determined female to do that alone. It is not something I could even contemplate as I know I would feel horribly anxious and scared. My imagination would run riot.
Hats off to Esther and all the others who can do this... I’m envious really. They must get to experience wonderful things. But their courage is immense.

It’s not that, it’s the opposite

 

[Grouse]

Perhaps they prioritised trying to find ED alive. They only had a limited time period before the weather got worse, so searching the lakes would have wasted valuable time and resources.

Fair point - if she is in one of the lakes it's already too late, absolutely right to prioritise like that as you say.

 

[Grouse]

Agreed! I'm going to sound like a raging ageist now, but, if Sr Ballarin is the mystery hiker who gave Esther a lift, and, no other male

What on earth?!

Not sure what you are saying? Sr Ballarin (and his grandson) gave her a lift on 21st November and came forward to say so, mystery hiker was 19th November. If he'd also given her a lift on 19th they would have surely established that
as well.

Also, I have no idea what you are talking about when you mention about being ageist.

 

[Grouse]

You've got to be kidding, on the same day that Estheranddan have a new media advisory group they issue a statement to the daily fail: "But Matt Searle, spokesman for Esther’s family and Mr Colgate, told MailOnline: ‘Daniel and Esther’s family are extremely interested to find out who was inside the camper with the lights on." which is immediately countered by the very same media advisory group "Police have confirmed that the light seen in the campervan was due to their presence."

Day by day I feel this is getting rather like a very well known portuguese case!

The witness who took the photo was very clear that she saw someone asleep in the campervan. If that was police "presence" then it raises massive alarm bells about how this investigation is being conducted.

Edit: I won't be surprised if we see British police getting involved

 

[Ellmau]

Missing British hiker's life is 'not as idyllic as social media suggests', warn police | Metro News

The clip was released after French investigating officer Capitaine Bordinaro said the couple’s life was ‘not as idyllic as the images posted on social media suggest’. He told MailOnline: ‘We want to investigate all possibilities. We do not rule any line of inquiry. ‘But it does not seem probable that Esther suffered an accident, and it is not credible that she was eaten by a bear or that she has fallen into a lake.

‘We believe that her disappearance is either the result of a voluntary act, or as a result of someone else’s actions.’ Explaining how police went to interview Mr Colegate and go through his messages with him, Bordinaro said: ‘It appears that their lives together were not as happy as the images posted on social media suggest.’ However, the investigator stressed that the Oxford graduate, from Durham, was interviewed as a witness and not a suspect.

 

[Grouse]

I was out walking my dogs tonight - it was pitch black and quiet along the lane. Although there were houses and it wasn’t very remote.. I started to imagine being alone, hiking out there in the mountains, especially when light begins to fade. I think you’d have to be a very brave and determined female to do that alone. It is not something I could even contemplate as I know I would feel horribly anxious and scared. My imagination would run riot.
Hats off to Esther and all the others who can do this... I’m envious really. They must get to experience wonderful things. But their courage is immense.

To be honest statistically it's probably safer camped at the top of a remote mountain than it is on a pitch black lane at night in a populated area.

 

[Kaykedi]

Not sure what you are saying? Sr Ballarin (and his grandson) gave her a lift on 21st November and came forward to say so, mystery hiker was 19th November. If he'd also given her a lift on 19th they would have surely established that
as well.

Also, I have no idea what you are talking about when you mention about being ageist.

SORRY about any confusion caused by my unfinished post. I'd typed it in, but, decided not to finish, or, post it, (I thought I had deleted it). I was going to say I may appear to be a raging ageist by saying I didn't think a man of 70 would USUALLY abduct a female (IF anyone felt Esther may have been abducted). I didn't know that Mr Ballarin was with his grandson when he gave Esther a lift. Oh dear, think I should go back to bed, get up, and start the day again!

 

[10ofRods]

The subtle linguistic differences may not be apparent to the French and Spanish police, as English isn't their first language.

They're not noticeable to me, either, and I'm both linguistically trained and a native English speaker. People's utterances vary over time (considerably). People have moods, modes and various narratives.

I just don't see what you are seeing in her posts - but would very much like some quotes, to help me understand exactly what it is you're seeing. Perhaps you are from an area where Esther's more local dialect is spoken and you can discern that in her posts?

 

[10ofRods]

I was out walking my dogs tonight - it was pitch black and quiet along the lane. Although there were houses and it wasn’t very remote.. I started to imagine being alone, hiking out there in the mountains, especially when light begins to fade. I think you’d have to be a very brave and determined female to do that alone. It is not something I could even contemplate as I know I would feel horribly anxious and scared. My imagination would run riot.
Hats off to Esther and all the others who can do this... I’m envious really. They must get to experience wonderful things. But their courage is immense.

It's weird, but I've never seen it that way. I haven't hiked in the Pyrenées, but I have dreamed of it - seems much safer than hiking here in SoCal. In the desert, in the Sierra. I have done it myself and know so many women who have also done it (starting in high school, in the case of a very good friend).

I guess maybe I'm "brave and determined," but on the range of my own experiences, hitchhiking through Mexico was much scarier; bus rides in Central America were much scarier - and I really worried about the various solo women I met there.

Mountains and wildernesses seem more safe, to me. I do know how to camp off-trail, and have always felt safe doing so (I don't keep lights on at night). I worry more about temperatures and whether I'm properly outfitted. Esther seems to have had good gear in her (heavy) backpack.

I think she made an error heading up-mountain so close to dark. I don't know if she had a reliable headlamp (I have yet to find a 100% reliable one) and I certainly don't think it would be safe to come down that ridge with just a small headlamp. But that's just me.

If her plan was to go onward (toward France), did she miss the route to the refuge or did she plan to camp at high altitude on the snowy side that night?

 

[Rush4087]

Unlikely hypotheses incoming ...

French and Spanish media have reported the killing of a bear in the region of the Pyrenees in which Esther has gone missing. This happened on Sunday 29th November. The bear was said to be in a "hostile state", and the Spanish hunter who shot it is claiming he did so in self defence. So ...

Was there a rogue bear in the area that could have killed Esther? The police certainly seem to have ruled it out, presumably due to lack of evidence.

Could Esther have encountered this same bear, and have been fatally injured in an attempt to avoid / escape it?

Could Esther have been killed accidentally by a hunter, who has managed to conceal her body or has managed to remove it altogether from the scene?

All three options are somewhat unlikely, but I'm struggling to work out in my own mind what I think the most likely answer to Esther's disappearance actually is.

Combined with the track, I don't see how authorities could be so adamant in ruling it out.