Matthew Hall,33,went missing on July 9
The mother of a missing British hiker who vanished in the Italian Alps has spoken of how she is living ‘someone else’s nightmare’ as friends join the search.
Matthew Hall,disappeared last Wednesday while walking in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.
Five of his friends flew out to help the search and rescue effort on Sunday after he still failed to make contact.
His mother Sara told Hull Live: ‘I feel like I’m living someone else’s nightmare but I’ve just been blown sideways by all of his friends. I didn’t know them all but I do now.
‘The way that they have just leapt into action has been unbelievable,it really has. I obviously realise that he’s very loved.’
She added: ‘He’s fit,he’s resourceful,so that’s what’s keeping me positive. He’s well travelled,and a solo traveller. He’s a walker and has all the gear. We just need to find him and bring him home to safety.’
He texted a photo of himself to a friend at 1.20pm that day,when he had stopped to rest at Alpe Daloo,north of the town of Chiavenna according to a local community group on Facebook.
He was wearing a beige T-shirt and carrying a black backpack when he went missing.
Hall’s final text message,sent shortly after the photo,said he was having a rest after he took a wrong turn while scaling down the side of the mountain he was hiking on.
A search and rescue effort for Hall was launched with several of his friends flying to Italy to help
A keen hiker and mountaineer,Hall had gone out to Italy on a solo trip as he also loves visiting the country,according to a friend.
He lives in east Hull,near his mother Sara and his father.
Close friend Robyn Leonard,said: ‘There’s no doubt to us that he’s alive because he’s so resourceful.
‘Obviously we all are worried but we’re all trying to have a brave face. He’s such a clever lad,he doesn’t let on but he really is.
‘It’s a situation that you never think you would be in.
‘The worrying thing is he never checked out of his hotel. He always does that but he hasn’t this time.’
Robyn’s partner,Reece,was among the people who flew out to Italy.
She added: ‘When we heard the news there was no question the lads were going,they’d already packed their bags.’
Hall works as a broadband engineer for Quickline,an internet service provider. Several of his colleagues are part of the search effort.
His last known sighting was on July 7,at the ‘All Right’ pub,where he was reportedly seen by staff.
The owners of the B&B where Matt was staying assumed he had just headed off earlier in the morning rather than waiting for breakfast on the day he went missing
The Brit was due to check out of the B&B he was staying in on Friday,but when he did not return,the owners contacted the police.
He asked hotel staff for directions to hikes in the area upon his arrival,reported the Mail Online.
The staff pointed him towards several scenic hiking routes.
Hall did not collect his breakfast at the B&B for several days but the hotel owners assumed he had left early in the morning to hike.
Italian media reported that he was most likely headed towards Pianazzola,Daloo or Lagunch,three small villages near Chiavenna.
He has not contacted family or friends since sending the text,according to the Facebook post.
Hall,approximately 1.78 metres tall with brown hair,was due to fly home to the UK on Saturday,July 12.
A missing person report has been filed with both Italian and UK authorities.
The search operation began on July 12,and includes the Carabinieri as well as the Alpine Rescue team.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man missing in Italy and are in contact with the local authorities.”
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