Search underway for retired L.A. County sheriff's deputy who vanished during hike in Greece
A search is underway for a retired Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy who disappeared this week after going on a solo hike on the Greek island of Amorgos.
A friend who was vacationing with Albert Calibet, 59, reported him missing after he embarked on what was expected to be a four-hour hike Tuesday. Calibet hasn't been seen or heard from since.
"We’re almost on three days here," Calibet's brother, Oliver, told Fox 11 Los Angeles. "There’s no water. … I’m very distraught."
Calibet worked for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department's transit services bureau from 1998 until his retirement in 2018, according to a department statement. After his retirement, he worked as a part-time employee.
The sheriff's homicide bureau is investigating the case locally, and a missing persons report has been filed, the statement continued.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Deputy Calibet's family and friends and our hope is that we can bring him home safely,” Sheriff Robert Luna said in a statement. “We are actively collaborating with multiple agencies abroad to provide assistance in the search for Deputy Calibet and will use every resource we have available to bring him back to those who love him.”
Volunteers, including from the nearby islands of Naxos and Paros, are assisting in the search, according to Greek public broadcaster ERT News.
Calibet has visited Amorgos "almost every year" for the last decade, according to Popi Despotidi, the island's deputy mayor of tourism.
“It is strange because he is not a person who walked the route for the first time,” Despotidi told Greek Reporter. “He knows Amorgos better than me.”
Calibet left for his hike around 7 a.m. local time. His friend alerted authorities after he still hadn't reached the end by 3:30 p.m., according to Greek Reporter.
Calibet reportedly was carrying two cellphones, but hasn't responded to attempts to reach him, according to news reports. His last confirmed contact was with his sister when he sent her a photo of a trail sign.
The U.S. State Department didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Calibet's disappearance comes just days after British television presenter Michael Mosley was found dead after he went missing on another Greek island, Symi.
A 74-year-old Dutch tourist has also been missing since Sunday after he went for a hike in the Marathokampos region of the island of Samos, the Hellenic Rescue Team of Samos said in a Facebook post.
The searches for the missing hikers come as Greece is in the midst of a heat wave, with temperatures expected to stay in the triple digits this week for much of the central and southern parts of the country.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
