Elderly Frenchman missing in Thailand forest

A search party has been mobilised to locate a 70 year old Frenchman lost in the forest around Khao Eto Mountain in Prachin Buri province in central Thailand since yesterday afternoon, reports DailyNews.

The Frenchman, 70 year old Sierra Gamache, set off early yesterday morning and climbed to the highest point on the Mount Eto trail.

At 12 noon, Gamache rang his sister and said he was on his way back down and would return home at around 1pm.

At 5pm, Gamache rang his sister again to say that he was lost in the forest, thirsty and tired. After that, the Frenchman’s phone turned off and his family could no longer contact him. They think the battery may have run out.

As the sun began to set, a search party was mobilised with help from Gamache’s family, the Sawang Prachin Buri Rescue Unit, the Chachoengsao Charitable Welfare Association, the Thana 51 Disaster Relief Unit and the Satcha Putthatham Foundation.

The search party walked from the top of the mountain down to the Noen Hom checkpoint and from there searched two routes down the mountain, arriving at the bottom at 12.30am.

The team found Gamache’s white Yamaha motorbike, with a Prachin Buri registration, parked near the entrance of the trail, but found no sign of Gamache.

Gamache’s wife said that her husband did not tell her that he would climb Mount Eto yesterday. She said he is adventurous and loves to exercise and has secretly climbed the mountain alone five or six times in the past.

Volunteers are expediting the search for the missing Frenchman and are worried since he said he was thirsty and hungry the last time he spoke to his family at 5pm yesterday.

Gamache’s wife lit incense and prayed that the search party would find a way to her husband soon.