Frantic search in Greek capital as loved ones wait for news of missing Brit, 78

Hours have turned into an agonising wait for one British family, as rescue teams comb through the wreckage of a collapsed Athens building in search of a 78-year-old man missing since a powerful explosion tore through his home.

Missing Briton still a focus of rescue operation

Living in one of Athens’ historic quarters, the pensioner occupied the second floor of a two-storey property on Lysikratous Street, in the Plaka district near the Temple of Zeus, together with his 77-year-old Greek wife. Neither has been accounted for since the blast struck shortly before 8am on Friday, September 25, collapsing the structure into a tangle of twisted metal, broken balconies and hanging concrete slabs. Force of the explosion was strong enough to be heard right across central Athens.

Others feared trapped in same building

Sharing the property with the British couple were tourists staying in a first-floor holiday rental, reported by various outlets as either three or four Americans. Due to catch a flight home to the United States that Friday afternoon, they failed to check in, meaning there was a possibility they never left the building. A young woman believed to be American was found dead in the rubble overnight, and five others, including the British man and his wife, are still unaccounted for.

Around thirty firefighters, six vehicles and specialist units from Greece’s elite EMAK rescue squad have descended on the scene, working with three sniffer dogs trained to detect signs of life. Sound-detection equipment and cameras designed to locate people beneath rubble are being deployed, and heavy machinery is clearing debris in careful stages, with operations paused periodically so rescuers can listen for any response. Saturday morning brought a small breakthrough, with a city spokesman confirming that enough wreckage had been removed to reach bedrooms towards the rear of the property, raising hopes that the missing pensioner and his wife might yet be found.

Cause of explosion still unconfirmed

Investigators from the Fire Department’s Arson Crimes Division are still at the site, working to establish what triggered the explosion; no official cause has yet been confirmed. Meanwhile, a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson confirmed the department is aware of a suspected explosion in Athens and is in touch with local authorities, adding that officials stand ready to offer assistance to British nationals abroad. Family of the missing 78-year-old, meanwhile, face a horrible anxious wait for news.