Body of missing British hiker Esther Dingley discovered by boyfriend

Body of missing British hiker Esther Dingley discovered by boyfriend, Daniel Colegate.

British hiker Esther Dingley went missing after hiking on her own in the mountains close to the Spanish and French border in the Pyrenees. The last sighting of the hiker was on November 22 and only two weeks ago her skull was discovered.

Esther’s body has been discovered near to the location where her skull was recently found. The shocking discovery was made by boyfriend Dan on Monday afternoon. The body of Esther, aged 37, was discovered along with her equipment.

“Yesterday, on the afternoon of 9 August, Esther Dingley’s body and equipment were found together in the Pyrenees, close to where a bone was discovered two weeks ago,” said LBT Global, a support organisation.

“The discovery was made by Esther’s partner Daniel Colegate, following relentless search efforts by him since her disappearance.”

“A team of forensic specialists along with mountain rescue personnel were dispatched to the site in order to catalogue the scene and recover Esther.

“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 surrounding this tragedy.

“The family remain incredibly grateful for the efforts of the police units involved and their commitment to understanding the exact circumstances of Esther’s death.”

Speaking of Esther’s intended route boyfriend Dan had previously said: “the route would have been well within Esther’s abilities for a day hike, besides the fact that she had a tent, camping gear, and significant experience in using it.

“The distance was 16 km with 1100 meters of vertical drop, five to seven hours of walking. The weather remained excellent on Monday. The route is very obvious on the ground and also from the ground at the start of the Refuge de Venasque.”

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