Tom Doherty – latest: Search called off for British doctor missing in Pyrenees

Tom Doherty’s daughter, Rachel, said her dad had been active on their group chat during his trip, sending pictures of the scenery in southern France.

“He was sending us a few pictures of the scenery and then on Tuesday afternoon sent us one of clouds coming over the top of a mountain. He said ‘bu**er’,” she said.

“The last time we heard from him was Tuesday. He told us he had fallen and couldn’t move. That’s all we’ve had since. The search party found a tent and his car.”

“We’re obviously very worried and extremely concerned for his welfare.”

An experienced hiker, Mr Doherty set off from his holiday home near Bergerac on Saturday, and started a walking trip through the French Pyrenees.

Anne Doherty, his wife, told FranceInfo that she knew her husband had been in Ax-les-Thermes, a ski resort in the Ariege department, near Andorra, earlier in the week.

“We know this because he went hiking and camping. Every day we received photos and messages,” she told the outlet.

“He is likely to be in/close to Ariège, in the Occitanie region,” she said.

The search for Tom Doherty has been suspended, local officials have said, six days after the retired British doctor went missing in the French Pyrenees.

“Search operations have been suspended,” the prosecutor’s office in Foix told Agence France-Presse on Monday.

“After five days, we haven’t managed to find him,” a representative said.

An investigation into the man’s disappearance would continue, they added.

Here’s everything we know so far about Tom Doherty’s movements before he went missing:

Mr Doherty set off from his holiday home near Bergerac on Saturday, and started a hiking trip through the French Pyrenees.

Anne Doherty, his wife, told FranceInfo that she knew her husband had been in Ax-les-Thermes, a ski resort in the Ariege department, near Andorra, earlier in the week.

“We know this because he went hiking and camping. Every day we received photos and messages,” she told the outlet.

The friend of one of Mr Doherty’s daughters initially said in a missing persons appeal that his last known location was Étang du Comté, where authorities were able to geolocate an image he sent from Sunday.

“He is likely to be in/close to Ariège, in the Occitanie region,” she said.

But the search party has located his tent and his car, which was found near Col d’Escots, also in the Ariege region.

But foggy conditions in the last days have made the search – which involves helicopters, dogs, and mountain rescue – difficult.

Anne Doherty, wife to missing Tom Doherty, has spoken out about her husband’s disappearance.

Speaking to French outlet FranceInfo, she said Mr Doherty “did not have the complete and necessary equipment” when he went out on his solo hike in the French Pyrenees.

Mrs Doherty also expressed doubts about her husband’s knowledge of the area, saying he “doesn’t know the mountain well”.

She revealed that Mr Doherty had “toured the Pyrenees 15 years ago”, and that although he hikes regularly he usually only goes on “two to three-hour walks”.

French authorities are searching urgently for the missing grandfather and have called in helicopters and dogs to lead the search.

But conditions are difficult, with foggy weather making locating Mr Doherty far more difficult.

A picture from yesterday shows a search team vehicle shrouded in fog, with visibility appearing to be no further than around 20 metres.

The search party has located Mr Doherty’s tent, and his car which was found near Pouech de Gerac.

According to X posts by a friend of one of Tom’s daughters, authorities initially believed he was last seen on Tuesday at 12:30pm near Etang de la Piede.

But that theory has now been scrapped, with his family and search officials now believing it was a different person.

It is now over 60 hours since Tom Doherty sent the last messages to his family, saying he had “fallen and cannot move”.

The urgent search operation, including a helicopter, dogs, and Mr Doherty’s family, has been underway for over two days.

But there has been no update as of this morning, as the family and authorities continue to search for the 67-year-old retired doctor.

Read the full report here:

Tom Doherty’s daughter, Rachel, said her dad had been active on the group chat during his trip, sending pictures of the scenery in southern France.

“He was sending us a few pictures of the scenery and then on Tuesday afternoon sent us one of clouds coming over the top of a mountain. He said ‘bugger’,” she said.

“The last time we heard from him was Tuesday. He told us he had fallen and couldn’t move. That’s all we’ve had since. The search party found a tent and his car.”

“We’re obviously very worried and extremely concerned for his welfare.”

Rachel has joined the search effort near the Col d’Escots hiking trail.

A screenshot has emerged of the messages Mr Doherty sent to his family when he went missing.

“Help”, he said at 7:07pm on Tuesday evening.

“I’ve fallen and cannot [m]ove,” he added, before his concerned family told each other they were struggling to get through to him.

Here is the full exchange: