Greek authorities said Sunday that after a four-day search, they had found the body of British medical journalist and documentary maker Michael Mosley, who went missing last week while vacationing on the Greek island of Symi.
Symi mayor Eleftherios Papakalodoukas said his body was found on the beach at Agia Marina.
His disappearance sparked a massive search involving firefighters, police officers and volunteers, with authorities also using search dogs and drones, and the Greek coast guard joining the effort amid growing fears he may have been lost at sea.
Greek police spokeswoman Konstantina Dimoglidou said the mayor, who was patrolling the coast on a boat with reporters from state television station ElT, discovered Mosley's body and recognised his blue shirt from the last images seen on security cameras.
Mr Mosley, 67, a BBC journalist, arrived on the Aegean island of Symi in the Dodecanese islands on Tuesday for a week-long trip. He told friends on the beach at Agios Nikolaos on Wednesday afternoon that he was walking back to his accommodation in the town of Symi, local authorities said.
The walk is about two miles, depending on the route taken. After hours passed and he was still not seen, his wife, Claire Bailey Mosley, reported him missing to the police.
On Friday, the search shifted north towards Agia Marina after a man believed to be Mosley holding an umbrella was seen on security camera footage in the village of Pedi, halfway between Agios Nikolaos and the island of Symi.
The terrain in the north, above Agia Marina, is much more rugged and dangerous.
Police said Mosley did not have a mobile phone on him during his walk and witnesses last saw him at the Peddie bus stop.
For years, many UK audiences have relied on veteran science and health researcher Mosley for his myth-busting advice on diet, exercise and sleep. Mosley, who trained as a doctor before moving into television, hosted the popular BBC health podcast Just One Thing and appeared in a show called Trust Me, I'm A Doctor.
He produced a variety of health and science shows for the station, often participating in experiments for the documentaries he hosted. He swallowed parasites and tried magic mushrooms, but is best known for popularizing the 5:2 diet, a method of intermittent fasting that involves eating normally for five days each week and fasting for two days.
He was nominated for an Emmy in 2002 for his series “The Human Face,” which examines the science behind beauty.
He recently collaborated with UK broadcaster Channel 4 on two series exploring obesity in the UK and the nutrition behind everyday food purchases, and this year he toured the UK with his wife, also a doctor and health columnist, presenting a live interactive show focusing on healthy living.