British hiker missing for a week in Italian Alps

A British tourist has been missing for a week after going for a hike in the Italian Alps.

Matthew Hall, 33, from Hull, has not been seen since Tuesday 8 July, after he set out on a solo walk from an Airbnb in the town of Chiavenna, just north of Lake Como, in Lombardy, northern Italy.

A missing person appeal circulated by his friends and family on social media says he last contacted a friend at 1.20pm the day he went missing, sending a photo of himself on the walk.

“He has not contacted family or friends since then,” the appeal says, adding he was meant to be flying back to England on Saturday.

“A missing person report has been filed with both Italian and UK authorities,” it says.

Another appeal shared by Italian media says Mr Hall is believed to have taken a wrong turn on his walk at around 1pm.

It said he may have been intending to walk towards Savogno or Dasile, starting from Borgonuovo, or towards Pianazzola, Daloo or Lagunch, starting from Chiavenna.

Mr Hall’s mother Sara Foster told Hull Live that he is an experienced hiker.

“He’s fit, he’s resourceful, so that’s what’s keeping me positive,” she told the local news outlet.

“He’s well travelled, and a solo traveller. He’s a walker and has all the gear. We just need to find him and bring him home to safety.”

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She said several of his friends and colleagues from work had flown out to join the search party.

Mr Hall is described as being approximately 1.78m tall with brown hair and blue eyes, and is believed to have been wearing a beige T-shirt and black backpack when he was last seen.

A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told Sky News: “We are supporting the family of a British man missing in Italy and are in contact with the local authorities.”