Latest news with #Quickline
Times
a day ago
- Times
British hiker missing for a week found dead in Italian Alps
A British man who disappeared while on a solo hiking trip in the Italian Alps has been found dead in a steep gully not far from where he sent a last message to a friend. Matthew Hall, 33, from Hull, began a walking holiday in northern Italy on July 5 and had been due to return to England a week later. He went missing on July 9 after sending a text message to a friend saying he had taken a wrong turn and was having a rest. He sent a photo to the friend of the Cross of Daloo, a mountaintop viewpoint above the town of Chiavenna, where he had been staying. Rescuers found his body on Wednesday evening after being alerted at 7pm by a local who spotted his backpack in a deep crevice. He had apparently fallen just a few hundred metres from the cross that featured in his photo. Rescuers said the dangerous rugged terrain required the use of a helicopter to recover the body. 'All the circumstances point to an accidental fall,' a spokesman for the police in Chiavenna said. It was likely that Hall, who worked for the broadband firm Quickline, had been killed instantly by the fall but it would be up to doctors to establish the cause of death, the spokesman said. 'The crevice was very deep, so it's probable that he died immediately,' he said. Police were due to accompany Hall's mother, Sara Foster, to the hospital in Sondrio where his body had been taken. She arrived at Milan's Malpensa airport on Wednesday evening and was due to be joined by her husband on Friday. Five of Hall's work colleagues had arrived in Italy earlier to support the search efforts of the Italian authorities, backed up by the use of drones and dogs. Hall had been staying in a B&B in Chiavenna and his hosts noted that he had not been collecting his breakfast but did not raise the alarm until he failed to return for checkout on July 11. A search by police and Alpine rescue teams was not launched until July 13. Friends and family said Hall was a confident walker with experience of managing rugged terrain. Jacob White, the friend who received his last message at 1.37pm on July 9, said he had sounded relaxed as he had asked him about his own holiday in Cornwall. 'It sounded as if any danger he might have seen was over,' he said.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Tragedy as missing Brit who vanished in Italian Alps is found dead close to where he sent final selfie to friend and message saying he'd 'lost the path'
A British hiker who went missing in Italy while on holiday has been found dead. Matthew Hall, 33, disappeared on July 9 after sending a message to friends saying he was lost shortly after heading into the mountains. Search teams spotted his body in a crevice a short distance from where he sent the final text and a helicopter had to be used to recover him because of the high risk to rescuers. IT worker Matthew had been staying in a B&B at Valchiavenna near Sondrio when he disappeared and the owner raised the alarms after he failed to check out. Friends of Mr Hall, who was from Hull and worked for broadband firm Quickline had flown out to join the hunt and his mother Sara Foster had also arrived to help. In a last text sent to friend Jacob White at 13:37 BST on the day he went missing, Mr Hall had told him he thought he had taken 'a wrong turn' on a trail and was 'having a rest'. Mr White said Mr Hall 'sounded relaxed' in the text, with the latter asking him about his own holiday in Cornwall. He added that his friend 'sounded as if any danger he might have seen was over'. He had also sent a picture of a landmark at Alpe Daloo near San Giacomo Filippo to friends and family which is on a well known path and search teams used this as the focal point for the hunt. Mr Hall, who was described as a 'competent walker' had arrived in Italy in July 8 for a four day hiking break in the Valchiavenna range and drones and dogs had been used in the search before the tragic discovery. Lt Gim Toni De Masi, of the local carabinieri police, told MailOnline:'The body of the missing man was found at around 7pm on Wednesday night. 'He was around 200m below the cross where he had sent a picture, in a crevice in a very dangerous area and a helicopter had to be used to recover him. 'We received a call saying someone had spotted something and a team was sent back up the mountain to have a look and the discovery was made. 'His mother, who has only just arrived in Italy, has been informed and I understand his father is due to arrive here on Friday. 'It is not the outcome we were hoping for, and we send our condolences to his friends and family. 'His body was taken to a local hospital in Sondrio and the prosecutor has been informed as per procedure but as it looks like an accident his body will be repatriated shortly.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Friends of missing Hull hiker Matthew Hall retrace steps in Italy
Friends of a hiker from Hull missing in northern Italy have started to retrace his steps in an effort to find him. Matthew Hall, who was staying at the B&B Ploncher hotel in Chiavenna, Lombardy, has been missing since 9 of his friends, including some who have known him since school and colleagues from East Yorkshire broadband firm Quickline, have flown out to join the said three helicopters, multiple mountain rescue teams, police and a specialist drone have been working around the clock to try and find Mr Hall, 33, who is described as a "very competent" walker. On Wednesday morning, Mr Hall's friend, Benjamin Lee, said the group was planning a trek "to get some visibility of the terrain".Mr Lee said Italian officials had informed them that, in addition to police and their resources, rescue teams totalling about 30 people were out looking for their friend."It's 24 hours, we're getting updates in the middle of the night from the teams," said Mr Blowman, another friend, described Mr Hall as a "very competent" solo hiker, who "knows what he's doing".He added: "We've been having daily briefs with the search and rescue guys and they've been showing us where they've been."They're covering every square metre."Both men said the local community have been "unbelievable". On Monday, Mr Hall's mother, Sara Foster, said: "I'm very wobbly at the moment, obviously, but I'm really trying to stay positive."In a last text sent to friend Jacob White at 13:37 BST on the day he went missing, Mr Hall had told him he thought he had taken "a wrong turn" on a trail and was "having a rest".Mr White said Mr Hall "sounded relaxed" in the text, with the latter asking him about his own holiday in added that his friend "sounded as if any danger he might have seen was over".In a statement, Quickline described Mr Hall, who has worked as an engineer for the company since January 2023, as a "well-liked colleague". It added that it hoping for "a safe and positive outcome".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." Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Italy hiker Matthew Hall was 'relaxed' before going missing
A British hiker "sounded relaxed" prior to going missing in Italy, a friend has Hall, from Hull, was staying at the B&B Ploncher hotel when he disappeared from Chiavenna, Lombardy, on 9 a last text sent to friend Jacob White on the day he went missing, Mr Hall had told him he thought he had taken "a wrong turn" on a trail and was "having a rest".Friends of the 33-year-old, including five of his colleagues from Quickline, a broadband provider in Willerby, East Yorkshire, have flown to Italy to join the search. Mr White said he received a text from Mr Hall at 13:37 BST on 9 said Mr Hall "sounded relaxed" in the text and was asking him about his own holiday in White added that his friend "sounded as if any danger he might have seen was over". Speaking from Italy, Mr Hall's close friend, Ben Lee, said: "We're here on the ground doing everything we can to help find him."We spoke to the B&B owner who was really helpful and helped us narrow down the hiking routes."There are now five main rescue teams and three helicopters searching for Matt."Friends said permission had also been granted for a drone to be used in the Lee added that "everyone is working so hard" and "around the clock" and the "efforts haven't gone unnoticed"."We just want our friend found, we miss him and we aren't giving up."His family are staying strong back home and we're in constant contact." Mr Hall has worked as an engineer for Quickline since January company said he was a "well-liked colleague" and confirmed that five staff members had travelled to Italy to assist in the search.A Quickline spokesperson said: "We remain in close contact with Matt's family and are doing all we can to support them during this incredibly difficult time."Our thoughts are with Matt and his loved ones, and we are all hoping for a safe and positive outcome."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." Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Missing Brit Matthew Hall disappeared near 'treacherous gullies and ravines'
Matthew Hall, 33, has not been seen since leaving his accommodation in Chiavenna in the Alps to go for a hike and police are concerned about the area where he vanished Missing Matthew Hall disappeared near treacherous gullies and ravines in the Alps, police believe. The 33-year-old Brit has not been seen since July 9, when he set off from his hotel in Chiavenna, Italy, to go for a hike. He was supposed to fly home on Saturday but is yet to make contact with his family, leaving loved ones at home living what they describe as a "nightmare". Attempts to get in touch with him have so far proved unsuccessful. The alarm was raised by hotel's owners after he did not collect his breakfast for several days, with them initially believing he was likely leaving for early morning hikes. But when Matthew, from Hull, Yorkshire, failed to show up for check-out, the owners discovered his belongings were untouched, and his backpack was not in his room. Now, police have revealed some more details about his last-known movements. One of the 20 rescuers, who are combing the area, assisted by a helicopter, told The Times that they are "concerned because there are plenty of dangerous gullies and ravines in that area." His mother, Sara Foster, said her concerns started when her son failed to board his planned flight to Manchester on Saturday afternoon. A police started started hours later. 'It was typical for Matthew to not have been in touch to avoid paying for data but now I was worrying, although not panicking," she said. But she has been anxiously waiting at home for updates from the Italian authorities - says she has been 'blown sideways' by the support she has received from Matthew's friends and the wider public. She is also grateful to a group of his pals have flown over to join the search teams, who have spent time analysing the last photo he sent to try and pin down its exact location Matthew's employers, Quickline Communcations in Hull, are also sending six staff members out to join the efforts. His mother, who works for elderly care firm Home Instead, said: '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. I got a message from the search team this morning – there are apparently five teams who are out looking for him. Matthew sent a photo of the cross at Alpe Daloo, near San Giacomo Filippo, to friends on the day he went missing, his mum said. His close friend Ben Lee has travelled with a group of friends to Chiavenna. He said his missing pal was last spotted by a girl at a local church on the day he vanished. "It kind of confirmed which route he was going on before there was a sighting of him later on in the day, at a certain point on the trail," he said. "We've got mountain rescue out at the minute. There's four teams, three helicopters and they're going to carry on searching."
