Why do people go missing on hikes?
Hikers can encounter several problems when endeavouring on a walk in the UK and abroad, yet recently, the media has reported a string of missing persons cases with often mysterious causes.
Nearly three weeks ago, father and son Tom and Richie Parry went missing in the Scottish Highlands of Glen Coe.
Described in news reports as ‘experienced hill walkers’, they failed to return home after a hike and days later their bodies were tragically discovered on the mountain Stob Coire Nan Lochan.
Source: BBC News
Source: BBC News
A week later on the Greek island of Symi, Dr Michael Mosely went missing after he set off for a walk around the coastline. He failed to return home and was eventually found and declared to have died of natural causes.
Source: BBC News
Source: BBC News
In the last few days, reports of several missing tourists on multiple Greek islands have appeared on our screens – some of whom have been found dead.
Source: Associated Press
Source: Associated Press
Source: BBC News
Source: BBC News
While different, these tragedies reveal the dangers that many of us forget when we set out for a walk or go on a hike in new surroundings.
So why do people go missing in an age where we are more connected than ever and safety information is supposedly accessible?
The causes are vast ranging from accidents, poor and extreme weather conditions, lack of phone signal, or even a lack of experience.
To find out more on this issue, we spoke to Mountain Rescue for England and Wales, The Ramblers Association UK and The Outward Bound Trust to find out more.
The Statistics
In 2023, Mountain Rescue for England and Wales reported 3,462 call-outs with 21% of the recorded incidents being missing person's enquiries.
The second year of the pandemic, 2021, saw the highest number of callouts which experts attributed to a desire to go outside and connect with nature during COVID-19.
There was also a rise in exposure on social media of popular hiking routes.
What do the experts say?
Alistair Read, search lead for Mountain Rescue England and Wales has worked in Mountain Rescue for 43 years.
He was formerly a weather forecaster for the Royal Navy.
Based in North Wales, Read explained that Mountain Rescue is the first on-call when people get lost and injured when hiking.
There is a level of avoidability for well-prepared people, he said, but even experienced hikers can face challenges and experience accidents while out in the wilderness.
“We find even in the mountains, something as minor as a sprained ankle can be quite incapacitating.
"Once you can't move then you need to be rescued and the more remote you are, the more difficult it is.”
Remoteness can weigh into the challenge of communication, even in England and Wales, and certainly in Scotland.
Across national parks specifically, there are huge areas with non-existent signal and extremely poor coverage.
In 2020, the UK Government announced a £1 billion funding deal with the four major UK Mobile Network Operators (EE, O2, Three and Vodafone) to roll out the Shared Rural Network Programme.
This plan aimed to increase network coverage to 95% across the UK.
It involved two roll-out phases: the first phase invested half of the money into existing and shared phone masts in a bid to tackle coverage in partial not-spot (PNS) areas where there was at least one network provider.
Source: srn.org.uk
Source: srn.org.uk
The second invested the other set half of funds to the extension of reach in total not spot (TNS) areas. This latter phase focused on upgrading Extended Area Service (EAS) masts for the Emergency Services Network (ESN) to render them usable across all four major operator networks and reduce TNS zones.
Do we currently need better network coverage?
Despite efforts being made to reduce total not spot or black spot areas in the UK, Read highlighted that it will take a while to fully make these changes.
It was also reported earlier this year that the government are behind schedule in the SRN rollout.
The plan to extend masts has been met with opposition from residents in certain rural areas who wish to remain off-grid from the rest of the world.
Charities such as The John Muir Trust vocalised their concerns about the SRN in 2023 arguing for a more targeted approach which protected the natural beauty and conserved Scotland’s natural heritage - they felt that iconic landscapes would be hindered by the sudden imposition of giant metal structures.
Read said: “From our perspective as responders, it would be nice to have but it's not essential.
“In terms of getting people able to raise help then I believe it would be good.
“Ultimately, a balance needs to be struck because a lot of people head out to remote locations to escape technology.”
Data from recent analytics reveals that many famous national parks are still blighted by a lack of signal coverage. This includes vast patches of Scotland, Wales, and various parklands in England: The Yorkshire Dales National Park, North Pennines, North York Moores and The Lake District.
In emergency scenarios, Read emphasised: “If you can walk further to a signal point, depending on your circumstance, even just phoning for advice might make the difference.”
Wales has some distinctive rural spots where the four networks provide little to no coverage.
Under the SRN plan, 86 new 4G masts were set to be rolled out back in Spring 2024.
Phone mast map source: https://mastdatabase.co.uk/gb/coverage/ - David Wheatley
Distinctively, the north of England's national parks have very limited coverage in certain spots.
In the Lake District, the first of the 83 government-funded SRN mast upgrades was switched on in April 2024 near the market town of Keswick in Cumbria.
In Scotland, the government planned to upgrade 120 masts with their £1bn funding programme.
The first upgrade was activated in Lockerbie, which is just north-east or Carlisle on the map.
The Lockerbie mast that was installed last year, provides coverage to residents in the east of Dumfries and Galloway, so people living in Boreland, Eskdalemuir, Lochmaben and neighbouring villages.
This installation was the first of 120 planned mast upgrades across Scotland.
Source: GOV.UK
Poor weather conditions
The missing persons incidents' in Greece have been linked to extremely high temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius.
In the last few years, the Mediterranean has seen a spike in soaring heat cases triggering mass wildfires.
If people head out in these temperatures, especially from the middle of the day onwards, when the sun is at its strongest, they are at an increased risk of suffering from heat exhaustion - which can be fatal.
In the opposite scenario, blistering winds, rain, and snow can occur in many parts of the UK with mountain forecasts changing frequently. Mountain weather is an entirely separate entity in contrast to regular weather forecasts.
Electrical storms can be just as frightening, particularly when at altitude - the advice is to always stay clear of high ground in a storm.
If you are on a mountain and hear thunder, it is vital to get off the high ground immediately.
Source: Mountaineering Scotland
On weather, Read said: “Most hikers follow footpaths, but they get lost at decision points or when the weather is bad, and they don't know whether they are deviating from a poorly identified path.
“We can check vicinities around footpaths especially if there are water hazards or big drops.
"Often, hikers are found relatively close to footpaths usually within about 100-200m of a linear feature.”
He spoke about the added dangers for a search and rescue team when out looking for missing persons.
Describing a search earlier this year, which involved more than 80 people across three days in fairly poor conditions, Read explained that incident management was vital to ensuring the entire team made it out and back in one piece.
This means ensuring that the team is well-fed and watered, as people’s energy levels can significantly drop in bad weather.
Comparing two separate cases, Read described recent incidents: an 83-year-old gentleman with medical issues had walked away from home on a Friday night. Members of the community were keen to get involved with the search and thankfully the man was located on the Saturday. Mountain Rescue had about 30 people out of the door by 8:30 am that morning.
Yet searches are not always as successful.
Last year, Mountain Rescue were on a search for a lady who had gone missing in horrendous weather conditions. His team members could not physically stand up due to the sheer force of the wind, nor could they see more than five metres ahead of them because of the thick snow and cloud.
At that point, the rescue team had to adapt into survival mode where it became a case of trying to stick to the footpath and hope that the lady could essentially be tripped upon.
Even the helicopter was unable to assist and after a long night, Read decided to call off the search at 4am because people were exhausted.
Most of the mountain rescuers are volunteers which means that people are often balancing day jobs before heading out on an overnight ten-hour search.
Even the rescuers have to make the call to wait till things clear before deciding on when to head out on a rescue attempt.
“In the UK, we’re quite lucky that the vast majority of searches conclude within 10-12 hours.
“However, we do get searches each year that go on and sadly there's a very small number where we never find the person until sometime later.”
Climate change has certainly hindered weather conditions in the last 50 years across the globe, with flooding a more common phenomenon and electrical storms on the rise.
Equally, places that would typically be warm, now experience extreme heatwaves, droughts and wildfires, extremely cold weather, flooding and intense rainfall.
Read said: “I can remember when I joined the team, we had proper winters.
“In the 80s it tended to be very cold with a lot of snow, but these years we tend not to get snow, but when we do get snow, we tend to get a lot of it in fairly bad weather.”
Sources: Alistair Read and Greenpeace
Accidents and getting lost
Often the risk factor of going on an adventure is what entices people to explore the great outdoors.
Yet, more often than not, people can suffer in an accident which can result in them getting stuck.
By carrying items such as a first aid kit, wearing the correct footwear, keeping spare clothing, and having a fallback plan, walkers can aim to prevent such occurrences.
Read said that even experienced hikers can suffer from an accident - it is inevitable.
On the case of Tom and Richie Parry, Read added:
“The Glen Coe case was really tragic and difficult for the family to deal with.
“I can only take a little bit of solace in the hope they were out doing something they enjoyed.”
Remoteness can play a huge factor in this especially if poor visibility is at play.
When hikers detour away from the main trails and roads, the risks heighten.
In recent years, the Mountain Rescue team have seen a spike in cases post-Covid as more and more people are seeking a connection with nature and an escape from the day-to-day.
On the sheer number of calls they experience, Read said: “I think mountain rescue are seeing more calls and that means at some point we will also sadly deal with people who die – that’s just the way the statistics line up."
He added that there was not a huge amount they could do to change this unless people sought to become more defensive and educated on hiking.
We went on a hike with the Chiltern Young Walkers group, part of The Ramblers Association UK to hear what they had to say on this issue – watch below:
Peru
Peru
Peru
Peru
Robin Hoods Bay
Robin Hoods Bay
Flamborough
Flamborough
Corfu
Corfu
What happens when technology fails?
An overreliance on technology was posited as one of the many reasons for people getting lost.
If people are running low on battery and are without a power bank and a charger, then things will get tricky.
Often people with 2% power on their phone will call in, but then their phone dies, and Mountain Rescue have no means of contact.
In cases of radio silence, mountain rescuers have to think about resorting to methods from 20 years ago through traditional map navigation. Even then, combining that with some information from earlier calls (if there is any) can be significant in locating the missing persons.
It can begin with the car, Read adds. If you find the car, then you can locate a starting point. From there, you can take radial routes, so you can almost map out the footpath taken and work backwards from where you think they intended to go.
Approaching family and friends tends to be the next step so Mountain Rescue can figure out generally what the person's intentions and plans were and if their behaviour was uncharacteristic for them.
Mobile phone data can also play a vital role as knowing where they last bounced the signal points, particularly when there is an imminent risk to life, can mean the police can get involved and track when the phone was last on the network.
Read stressed that if there is ever any doubt in your mind, then ask for help as early as possible – this all plays into the idea of heading out prepared.
“If you feel you’re getting lost, stop and then have a good think about trying to work out where you are and if you still can’t work that out then a phone call could make all the difference.”
Despite stating the risks, Read said that technology was improving for 999 and 112 calls with increased mobile phone data which can make things a lot easier.
In every case, hikers should always aim to go out prepared and this can be as simple as keeping your power bank dry in a drybag, bringing a physical map (also one to keep dry) and trying to keep tabs on navigation.
If hikers do find themselves in an emergency scenario, it's always best to try and bring equipment that is not reliant on power or battery.
Some useful items recommended for navigation are simple printed ordnance survey maps, or GPS trackers like the Garmin In Reach (hiking equipment such as these are often available to hire).
Social media and education
Both Alistair Read (Mountain Rescue) and Paul Rhodes (Ramblers Association) spoke about a spike in the number of people going on hikes since the pandemic – often many of whom are hiking novices.
We spoke to James Ferguson from the charity The Outward Bound Trust which runs outdoor activities for young people to discuss the importance of outdoor education in an age of social media.
Both The Outward Bound Trust and Mountain Rescue have witnessed the development of the hiking world in an age of social media.
Alistair Read spoke on this: “I think on the social media side of things, it's all very well saying go and do this route it's great.
“The thrill factor to go and do something is more public than it ever was compared to 40 years ago.
“Back then, it would be a small group of friends who phone each other up and say let’s go and do something."
Now, he says TikTok, Facebook, and WhatsApp groups have overtaken where someone will share their photos of their great day out, which will subsequently get added to friends’ to-do lists. However, things can change a lot and the weather can end up being very different for that second person which can lead to some sad outcomes.
He added: “The media presence is having a different driver on people.”
What you need to do before heading out on a hike
1. Preparation: Understand where you’re going to go, check the map, plan your route and have an idea about what happens if you end up in a scenario where things - so there’s a fallback plan already thought through. If you’re going to very remote locations, understand that it might not be wise to keep pushing on. The idea of the fallback plan is that you can do that when it is less extreme, a bit more sensible, and a bit less weather-dependent for example.
2. Equipment: If you're taking equipment, make sure you know how to use it, with electrical items that rely on battery or power ensure that you carry a backup for it. Make sure it's charged before you go out because it will certainly fail a lot quicker than you expect when you need it. If using GPS on the phone, it drains the phone battery.
3. On the day: check the weather and keep an eye on the forecast as you go through as you go through. If you're not confident, stop and probably even be prepared to retrace your footsteps. Don't commit yourself to things which you think might be difficult to get back over.
Photo by Dmitriy Suponnikov on Unsplash
Photo by Dmitriy Suponnikov on Unsplash
The Colca Canyon Trek, Peru
The Colca Canyon Trek, Peru
What to do in an emergency?
Read says you have two choices, stay put, turn around, or three if you continue pushing on:
If you decide to stay put
· If you decide to stay, put or are forced to do so because of injury or illness, then hopefully in terms of preparation you’ve thought of what you need to survive.
· Having spare clothing: the elements can be brutal so it’s always a good idea to pack layers and spare clothing
· Carry a group shelter because that will stop the environment from hitting you very hard. If it's cold it keeps you warm and out of the wind, and if really hot and sunny it gives you shade so you can make the environment more survivable by having this.
· Make sure you’ve packed a first aid kit in case you need to use it.
· Try to raise the alarm - you might have to wait until the weather improves.
· If you’re by yourself that could also be a real challenge, but if you're in a group try not to send people away as individuals.
· There’s a lot of merit in if you do stay where you are because a message does get through and people coming to look for you will know where to go.
· Try not to be a moving target – even though weather can interfere with this.
· If you have to move, leave an indication that you were there so that when rescue comes out, they can follow a trail.
Where to find forecast information?
In the UK and Europe, there are mountain-specific weather forecasts.
On the MET office website, you can find forecasts for the national parks which will give you far more information about how windy it is on a particular summit with temperatures.
Mountain temperatures are always more extreme as it can be close to freezing at the summit even in June.
If you’re going somewhere like Europe, they provide the same sort of information you just need to get on the right website.
When you go further afield to more remote locations it might be worth looking at good weather forecasting apps and a GPS device. They consider exactly where you are along with altitude as they are designed to be used in remote locations.
Conclusions
“Ultimately, I would still encourage people to go outside.
There are so many benefits to going outside, mental and physical – I think these outweigh the risks generally.
"But everything we do is not without risk and always think about when things aren’t as in place as you’d like them to be.”
What have you learnt?
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