Devastating news

Armytwowheels said:
Thanks for the update.

I did wonder if I should tell LBT about our email exchange shortly before she went missing. Although I assume they have had access to her communications history and would know that already. I have read her email to me several times and at no point, not one single word, in my opinion, did anything indicate that she was not happy or was not expecting to return.

As Dan has indicated that the police have reviewed her messages to him, is it safe to assume they have read her emails as well?
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Better they hear something twice than not at all.
 
Fenman said:
Dan has posted the following fairly long piece on their Facebook page:

UPDATE:
Dear Friends,
Thank you for the continued messages of support that have been sent. Although I am not able to reply to all of them, every message I've received has helped me in the moment I have read it. Thank you all.
Many of you have asked me for an update regarding the investigation into Esther's disappearance. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this message, there has been no sign of Esther.
As most of you already know, following an extensive and detailed search of the area surrounding Esther's route in the week after she was supposed to return from her hike, a criminal investigation was started in both France and Spain with the support of UK police.
As these investigations remain ongoing, I won't comment on the details of what has been shared with me by the lead investigators in terms of the activities they have taken and those they continue to undertake. If they wish to make any additional information public, it is for them to do so.
I have full faith that the teams involved are doing all they can. I understand the challenges they face due to the remote location Esther was last seen in and I am grateful for their commitment and continued efforts.
I have shared with the police my intention to return to the area Esther was last seen in as soon as travel restrictions allow me to do so and when the weather permits an effective re-search of that area. They have promised me their support in this.
Because of the intensity and large scope of the search already undertaken, Esther's habit of letting family know of route changes when possible, the nature of the terrain, the good phone signal in large parts of the area, the excellent weather at the time, and several other factors, I do not personally think that Esther had an accident.
Furthermore, those of you who know Esther personally already know of her determination, physical strength and almost-inhuman tolerance for discomfort. Even if she had a broken leg, I have no doubt she would have still gotten down the mountain somehow, never mind take action to make shelter and become visible. It was not that far to a road on either side of the peak she had walked up to and it was downhill all the way. Nor are there many places where she could have fallen and been difficult to find. Needless to say, those areas have already been searched closely. The chance she was somehow missed is vanishingly small.
In short, if Esther had had an accident, I firmly believe she would have been found quickly.
However, continuing to search is all I can do and so I will, if only to further rule out this possibility.
Regarding suggestions that Esther's disappearance was in some way voluntary, my response remains that she had neither the motive or means to do so. She hasn't accessed any funds or been seen anywhere, despite widespread press coverage. I am of course aware of the speculation in the media regarding our relationship, stoked by quotations from both police sources and people that met Esther during her time away. So far I have been loath to even engage with such salacious nonsense, believing that it was nobody else's business. All I will say here is that the police officers actually investigating her disappearance have full access to our communications which reflect the truth that our relationship is solid. Any comments to the contrary reflect a misunderstanding of that reality.
Esther and I have built an unconventional lifestyle, with occasionally unconventional demands on our relationship as a result. Like any couple, sometimes there is tension between us, especially when we do something physically demanding. That's why we work hard on our relationship and our communication. We believe a relationship is about two people supporting each other to reach their potential, a dance of individuality and togetherness. Over the years we've shared a lot of this in the public domain, in books and social media. Esther has also shared a lot of her own personal challenges and emotions. She really does wear her heart on her sleeve, with emotions passing through quickly.
Unfortunately, in the context of her going missing, it is far too easy for people to over-analyse words that were shared in the past, looking for messages and meaning that simply aren't there.
Even more importantly, Esther is highly intelligent and an experienced hiker. She's well aware what a search operation involves as we've seen several in action. The idea she would trigger that and put others at risk to get some time alone, rather than simply say "I need some time alone" is ridiculous to me.
All of which leads me to believe that somebody else has been involved in Esther's disappearance and against her will. This is a terrifying prospect and I wish I could believe otherwise, but I cannot.
There is a lot more I could say to support this belief, but the core fact is this. A happy, experienced, well-equipped and fit young women went missing in an area with clear paths and mostly open terrain. An intensive search found no sign of her, or any of her equipment. It is as though she vanished into thin air.
For those wishing to see more details about the area and the timeline of Esther's disappearance, I am reposting this link to a pdf file put together with the support of LBT.
https://tinyurl.com/estherdingleyinfo
All that matters to me and Esther's parents is finding her. We all still hold on to the thin hope that she might still come back to us safely.
Her face appears to me all the time, whether or not I am occupied with other things. I see her smile, hear her laugh, imagine the warmth and softness of her cheek and feel the touch of her hand. I still talk to her throughout the day.
In less than 2 weeks it will be our nineteen year anniversary. For almost 2 decades now we have shared almost everything, building a life together that was occasionally challenging but mostly full of joy and love. Without Esther, I cannot imagine my life ever having meaning again.
If anybody has any information about Esther, no matter how trivial it might seem, please contact:
LBT Global Hotline: +44 (0) 800 098 8485
WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7545 826 497
Email: delta.ops@lbt.global
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Thank you for the latest information...I can see that we are like you, enjoy the life adventure, the mountains, the challenge, but nothing is more challenging than now...
We are following the situation, hoping for a positive outcome, a reason, a closure and end to the speculation...
 
Just seen a new posting on FB on behalf of Dan and Esther's mother:

PRESS RELEASE - 28th Feb 2021 - ESTHER DINGLEY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statements from Ria BRYANT and Daniel COLEGATE following speculation the investigation has been closed. The appeal contact details must be included in all publication.
Ria BRYANT:
I find it so hard to put into words how I have been feeling as I wait to find out what has happened to my daughter and best friend, our beautiful Esther. Each day has been nothing short of an excruciating hell for me, balancing on the edge of breaking down.
Not knowing where Esther is or what has happened to her is destroying me and our family, as life seems almost impossible to cope with. Esther’s mission in life is to spread love and happiness, but now I am numb and scared that I will never feel those emotions again.
It was my birthday last week and I missed her terribly. She has always been so thoughtful and attentive on birthdays and I found that very, very hard.
Daniel COLEGATE:
Regarding recent media coverage and comments by a member of the French police, my response is to restate my gratitude and respect for the hard work the police forces and the search and rescue teams in both France and Spain have already carried out and plan to continue with in the future.
I have been in close contact with the lead investigator in both countries since early December. Upon reading the recent articles, I contacted the Major in the French police who is in charge of the investigation to ask if these comments reflect the official position of his team. His response was to reassure me that the investigation is ongoing.
As I've said before, I'm aware of the challenges the police face in this investigation and I trust their abilities and determination.
For my part, I still intend to return to the area to repeat the intensive searches already carried out as soon as the weather permits this to be done effectively. I will also search further afield, scanning across the landscape systematically to rule out the area piece by piece. I'm aware that the search and rescue teams plan to also repeat their searches and I will remain in contact with them.
Finally, I want to reiterate that Esther is an experienced hiker who was carrying suitable equipment in terrain that would not have been a challenge to her. She had completed countless similar hikes successfully in the past, never leaving trails and being well aware of her body's needs and limitations. If she suffered an accident, for whatever reason, I firmly believe she would have been found on or close to one of the extensive, well-made paths in the area.
The fact no trace at all was found, despite a wide-ranging and intensive search in good weather before the snow arrived, was frustrating and baffling to those involved in the search at the time. That no other signs have been found elsewhere does not change the scope or intensity of that search.
At the moment, those of us who love Esther can only continue with the agonising wait for news.
 
So many folk missing ?
Makes you wonder............
 
The mountains can be a terribly unforgiving place, especially for a lone walker, I have family who live in the French and Austrian alps, every year they have people reported injured or missing but usually they get found. I hope she is found soon.
 
People get into trouble and go missing even on our local hills ..... When I was a lot younger we found a man and his young son totally lost and unable to get a phone signal. Luckily they had found a path and stayed sitting on it - they also had food and drinks and the man put his son inside his rucksack to keep him a bit warmer. They did have a map and a compass but the map was a road map and the compass was little more than a toy. Luckily they were found safe and well and very quickly - by accident rather than via a search party.
 
Just read an update posted by Dan on their Facebook page:

Dear Friends,
In light of a recent article in a tabloid newspaper, I wanted to issue a short update regarding the search for Esther. Contrary to what was written in that article, the mountain rescue search for Esther in the Pyrenees has not yet officially resumed. In the last fortnight I have met with both the Spanish and French search and rescue units and both have confirmed that they intend to repeat their searches with all possible efforts, but only once the snow has completely cleared from the area in order that their activities can be effective and thorough.
Unfortunately, due to the cold April weather in the region, the higher altitude portions of Esther's route close to Pic de Sauvegarde remain under a thick blanket of snow.
That said, I have been in the area myself for the past few weeks and have been closely exploring the lower altitude portions of the region, paying particular attention to the woodlands immediately bordering her proposed route, possible alternative trails and also in the valley between her last known location and Benasque village.
Although I still find it very hard to understand why Esther was not found in November if she had suffered an accident, a feeling that deepens the more time I spend in the area, I will continue to search because it is all I can do. I remain in regular contact with the authorities and I am recording all of my activities using a GPS device, passing this information to the police and search teams to assist their own planning when the time comes.
I remain grateful for the support and the efforts of all of the many professionals involved in the search for Esther. It is not my place to comment on the specifics of their activities, but I am in no doubt that they have done and will continue to do all they can.
Finally, I want to again reiterate my gratitude to the many friends who are supporting me remotely, to my family and to LBT Global.
If anybody has remembered anything they feel may be relevant to Esther's disappearance, no matter how obscure or trivial it might seem, please contact LBT Global using the details below.
Appeal details:
LBT Global Hotline: +44 (0) 800 098 8485
WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7545 826 497
Email: delta.ops@lbt.global
 
Dan has just posted on Facebook. For those of you who don't do FB I have copied his posting below.

Dear friends.
Thank you for the continued messages. Over the past weeks I have also received quite a few messages asking if there is any update regarding the search for Esther.
As some of you will have already seen in the media, a major search and rescue operation this past week (involving both French and Spanish personnel) still failed to find any sign of Esther. I am grateful they are doing this work in addition to the continued police investigations in each country.
For my part, I have continued to search these past months as well, zig-zagging across the mountainsides surrounding Esther's last known location and her known route. I've walked about 700 miles now and also found no sign of her. I will continue to expand my search in the weeks and months ahead.
For indicative reasons, I've included a Google Earth projection below this post showing my GPS tracks (in red), surrounding Esther's planned route (in green). Ideally I would also include photographs and scale bars, but for brevity I won't do so here. Please bear in mind, this is only my walking in the immediate area of Esther's route. It also doesn't include the extensive Search and Rescue work or the countless tourists now filling the region.
A few weeks ago I was joined for a day by a journalist who writes for the Sunday Times magazine. His piece about Esther will be published in tomorrow's magazine if you can get your hands on a copy.
In the weeks ahead I intend to share more details of my search activities to explain my continued doubts about the accident hypothesis. Not because I doubt the possibility of an accident, far from it, but because in all my miles of walking I am yet to find a place where somebody would completely vanish. This, combined with the good weather she had, Esther's habit of following paths (which are well made and easy to follow in the area) and the good mobile signal just beyond her last known location, are the reasons I remain baffled to explain a straightforward mountain accident. It is hard to convey in such a short message, but the area Esther was hiking in is simply not that remote or complex. And, while she may have been there in November, the weather was very good, with an almost full moon at night and clear skies.
Fjnally, in light of the continued absence of any sign of Esther, I want to reiterate the importance of building a clear picture of exactly who was in the area she was hiking in during the days between Esther's last contact and her failure to appear as planned (22-25 November last year). No matter how obscure or trivial it might seem, if you were in the area or know somebody who was, please, please contact LBT Global using the details below. Your information can be completely anonymous.
Appeal details:
LBT Global Hotline: +44 (0) 800 098 8485
WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7545 826 497
Email: delta.ops@lbt.global
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Fenman said:
Dan has just posted on Facebook. For those of you who don't do FB I have copied his posting below.

Dear friends.
Thank you for the continued messages. Over the past weeks I have also received quite a few messages asking if there is any update regarding the search for Esther.
As some of you will have already seen in the media, a major search and rescue operation this past week (involving both French and Spanish personnel) still failed to find any sign of Esther. I am grateful they are doing this work in addition to the continued police investigations in each country.
For my part, I have continued to search these past months as well, zig-zagging across the mountainsides surrounding Esther's last known location and her known route. I've walked about 700 miles now and also found no sign of her. I will continue to expand my search in the weeks and months ahead.
For indicative reasons, I've included a Google Earth projection below this post showing my GPS tracks (in red), surrounding Esther's planned route (in green). Ideally I would also include photographs and scale bars, but for brevity I won't do so here. Please bear in mind, this is only my walking in the immediate area of Esther's route. It also doesn't include the extensive Search and Rescue work or the countless tourists now filling the region.
A few weeks ago I was joined for a day by a journalist who writes for the Sunday Times magazine. His piece about Esther will be published in tomorrow's magazine if you can get your hands on a copy.
In the weeks ahead I intend to share more details of my search activities to explain my continued doubts about the accident hypothesis. Not because I doubt the possibility of an accident, far from it, but because in all my miles of walking I am yet to find a place where somebody would completely vanish. This, combined with the good weather she had, Esther's habit of following paths (which are well made and easy to follow in the area) and the good mobile signal just beyond her last known location, are the reasons I remain baffled to explain a straightforward mountain accident. It is hard to convey in such a short message, but the area Esther was hiking in is simply not that remote or complex. And, while she may have been there in November, the weather was very good, with an almost full moon at night and clear skies.
Fjnally, in light of the continued absence of any sign of Esther, I want to reiterate the importance of building a clear picture of exactly who was in the area she was hiking in during the days between Esther's last contact and her failure to appear as planned (22-25 November last year). No matter how obscure or trivial it might seem, if you were in the area or know somebody who was, please, please contact LBT Global using the details below. Your information can be completely anonymous.
Appeal details:
LBT Global Hotline: +44 (0) 800 098 8485
WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7545 826 497
Email: delta.ops@lbt.global
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Thanks for the update.
It all remains a mystery.
In trying to mark your post “informative” my fat finger got “funny” so I hope you didn’t get an alert saying that.
 
Blimey!
Hats off to the man, that is a lot of miles to cover in very rough terrain!
The BBC update is here

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DBK said:
I've just read it. Quite harrowing. Her partner Dan Colegate has been criss-crossing the mountains still searching for her.
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I wish I could but I can only get the whole article by signing up to The Times.

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Fenman said:
I wish I could but I can only get the whole article by signing up to The Times.
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I used to be able to copy and paste articles but it seems they've got wise to that and now I can only do a paragraph at a time - and it's a long article so that a non-starter. :(
 
Think you get the timesif you have readly app, not free, but well worth the subs.
 
From personal experience I found the not knowing was the worst thing. Poor Dan will be in a sort of limboland. My heart goes out to him.

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