What we know about missing British doctor Tom Doherty

James Cheng-Morris
Tom Doherty and wife Anne Doherty. (PA)
Tom Doherty and wife Anne Lyons. (PA) (Family Handout/PA Wire)

The family of missing Tom Doherty have joined his wife and eldest daughter in the French Pyrenees as they search for the retired British doctor.

His wife, Anne Lyons, and eldest daughter Rachel flew to his last known location after he went missing and The Sunday Times reported they have now been joined in France by his other children: Emma, Mickey and Meg.

Here is what we know – and don’t know – about Doherty and his disappearance.

We know the 67-year-old, from St Albans, was hiking and camping near Col d’Escots when his family lost contact with him on Tuesday 6 August.

Described as an avid and experienced walker, he had set off in the Pyrenees on Saturday 3 August.

His daughter, Rachel Doherty, told the PA news agency the family last heard from him at 7.07pm on WhatsApp. He sent them messages asking for help and told them he had fallen and could not move.

Tom Doherty sent his family messages asking for help and told them he had fallen and could not move. (PA)
Tom Doherty sent his family messages asking for help and told them he had fallen and could not move. (PA) (Family Handout/PA Wire)

Rachel Doherty said: “He was sending us a few pictures of the scenery and then on Tuesday afternoon sent us one of clouds coming over the top of a mountain. He said ‘bugger’.

“We told him to be careful and urged him to come down.

“The last time we heard from him was Tuesday. He told us he had fallen and couldn’t move. That’s all we’ve had since. The search party have found his car."

One of the last pictures sent by Doherty before he went missing in the French Pyrenees. (PA)
One of the last pictures sent by Tom Doherty before he went missing in the French Pyrenees. (PA) (Family Handout/PA Wire)
Tom Doherty with wife Anne Lyons, son-in-law Tim Hughes and daughter Rachel Doherty. (PA)
Tom Doherty with wife Anne Lyons, son-in-law Tim Hughes and daughter Rachel Doherty. (PA) (Family Handout/PA Wire)

According to his family, the retired doctor was a respected consultant of tropical medicine who worked around the world and specialised in malaria.

Since retiring almost a decade ago, he has spent most of his time in France.

The UK Foreign Office has said it is supporting his family.

We don't know exactly where Doherty went missing – with his family reportedly appealing for help to get into his Apple account to reveal his precise location.

The Sunday Times reported an unnamed relative as saying: “We desperately need to access his Mac laptop which has been locked as we have tried his password too many times. We need to get into it… so that we can look at the last location of his last photos on iCloud and try and get into his Find My.”

We also don't know Doherty's physical condition, or any injuries he may have sustained in the fall: he has not been heard from since his message saying he could not move.

Lyons has also said: "He’s not someone [who goes hiking] with full equipment and the necessary gear."

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