Body of missing British hiker Esther Dingley found in French Pyrenees

The partner of a British walking enthusiast who went missing in the Pyrenees last November has found her body after a relentless search. Her death was "most likely" accidental, her family said.

British woman, Esther Dingley took a selfie before being reported as missing in Pyrenees, in Pico Tuca Salbaguardia, on the border between Spain and France, 21 November, 2020. © Esther & Dan via Reuters

37-year-old Esther Dingley had been walking solo in the mountains near the Spanish and French border, but had not been heard from since sending a WhatsApp message on 22 November. 

Her partner Daniel Colegate, who raised the alarm over her whereabouts, found her body on Monday following a "relentless search", according to a family statement released Tuesday by the charity LBT Global on Facebook.

Colegate found Dingley's body and equipment close to where a bone was found by a mountain runner two weeks ago. DNA testing confirmed the bone belonged to the hiker.

"A team of forensic specialists along with mountain rescue personnel were dispatched to the site in order to catalogue the scene and recover Esther," the statement said. "At this stage an accident is the most likely hypothesis, given the location and other early indications. A full investigation is under way to confirm the details."

Esther Dingley went missing in November last year in the French Pyrenees © LBT Global

• Police seek British hiker missing in French Pyrenees

French and Spanish police carried out extensive searches using drones and helicopters to try and find Dingley after she was first reported missing.

The search operation was called off in February due to bad weather but resumed in June.

Dingley's family said they "remain incredibly grateful for the efforts of the police units involved and their commitment to understanding the exact circumstances of Esther's death".

Going it alone

The British hiker had planned to make a loop around the Salvaguardia peak, which stands at 2,738 metres above sea level, between Spain and where her vehicle was parked, according to investigators.

Colegate was house-sitting at a Gascony vineyard while his girlfriend took their motor home on the journey to Spain.

British hiker Esther Dingley with partner Dan © Esther and Dan/Facebook

"Spending time apart every now and then was something we'd built into our relationship after touring for more than seven years in a motorhome," Colegate told the BBC last month. "As far as we were concerned, it was a sign of trust and a mature, healthy relationship."

The couple, who were partners more than 18 years, left their jobs and home in the northeast of England in 2014 to tour Europe in a camper van after Colegate nearly died following surgery three weeks before they were due to get married. 

They related their adventures on their joint blog, Esther and Dan. 

(with AFP)