Police are searching for a professor from the University of Warwick who vanished in Chile.
Thomas Richard Marsh, a British astronomer at the University of Warwick, was last seen six days ago near the remote astronomical observatory La Silla on the edge of the Atacama Desert, where he was believed to be working.
Police have stated that they are examining ‘all alternatives’ in their search for the missing 61-year-old avid hiker who was believed to be highly familiar with the steep area in where he disappeared.
Mr. Marsh was last seen at 6 a.m. on Friday, and it is believed that all of his stuff, including his passport, remained untouched in a neighboring leased room.
Due to the nature of the terrain, specialized equipment, including drones, and volunteers from a local flight club are only utilized during daylight hours.
Thomas Richard Marsh, a University of Warwick scientist, was last seen six days ago near the remote astronomical observatory La Silla on the borders of the Atacama Desert, where he was believed to be working.
It is believed that criminal investigators from Chile PDI’s police have been brought in to determine whether the absence is unintentional or could be tied to a crime.
Carabineros national law enforcement officers are also participating in the hunt.
Local PDI police head Carlos Albornoz stated, “On the ground, we are conducting interviews and taking statements.
‘Other organizations are also involved in the attempt to locate this individual as swiftly as feasible.
Nothing is ruled out, and all investigative avenues remain open.
His daughter’s friend, bookseller and illustrator Tasmin Rosewell, shared the news of his abduction on social media, adding, ‘My friend’s father, Professor Tom Marsh, Astrophysicist at the University of Warwick, is gone from the La Silla Observatory in Chile.
The closest city is La Serena. He is 60 years old and 192 cm tall.
Interpol and the Chilean police are currently searching abroad and in England.
Mr. Marsh was last seen wearing trousers, grey shoes, and a grey jacket, according to reports. When he disappeared, it was unclear whether he was on one of his usual morning walks.
According to the local newspaper, his relatives are kept up-to-date on all developments.
La Silla Observatory is an astronomical observatory in Chile with three telescopes constructed and maintained by the European Southern Observatory, an intergovernmental research organization for ground-based astronomy composed of sixteen member states.
It is one of the largest observatories in the Southern Hemisphere. It is situated around 150 kilometers northeast of the city of Serena on the edge of the Atacama Desert, one of the world’s driest and most isolated regions.
The British Foreign Office has been contacted by MailOnline for comment.
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