Dr Michael Mosley's walk in the Greek heat may have caused a lethal heat stroke, an expert has claimed, as he described it as a "recipe for disaster".
The beloved TV doctor and nutritionist died last week after taking a walk through the wilderness on the island of Symi. Search crews spent nearly four days looking for the 67-year-old before he was discovered behind a wall just feet away from a resort on Agia Marina beach.
A post-mortem examination later revealed Michael had died at around 4pm on Wednesday of natural causes, with no initial signs of injury. Separate toxicology and histology reports have now been ordered.
Dr Mosley had been out in the searing heat with little access to shade (Daily Mirror)Physio Chris Byrne, a lecturer in sports and health sciences at Exeter University, said the circumstances surrounding Michael's death bore all the hallmarks of a fatal heatstroke. He spoke out, saying it showed the dangers of venturing out to exercise during intense heat.
Warnings were issued for extreme weather on the Dodecanese island last week as temperatures were projected to reach 40C. Dr Mosley's age was also highlighted by Chris as a risk factor, humans' ability to regulate our body temperature declining as we age.
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He told the Daily Express that "the tragic story of Michael Mosley illustrates the rare but potentially lethal effect of combining physical activity in high environmental heat.” Any sporting event on the island that day would have been deemed too "high risk" and cancelled due to the heat, Chris said.
Michael Mosley may have suffered a lethal heat stroke in Symi, a sports scientist believes (Mega TV)As well as this, the difficult, uneven terrain on the hills in Symi would have made exertion harder, while the lack of shade would have also made it more difficult to cool off. It's understood Michael has brought a bottle of water with him in his rucksack and an umbrella for shade, but he had left behind his phone meaning he wouldn't have been able to ring for help.
“[It was] not a good situation what was happening," Byrne said of the circumstances of Mosley's death. "You wouldn't recommend someone walking in 35 degree [C] heat, with no water at an advanced age, with no access to shade, walking uphill over rugged terrain and not knowing the end point," Byrne said. "[It] is really a recipe for disaster."
"We don’t know what went on exactly but looking at the details [reported in the press] I would say it fits the bill for exertional heat illness. ... Walking for three hours in that sort of environmental condition is not advisable.” Chris added: "It looks like he made some mistakes, took some wrong turns, ended up on rugged terrain, walking uphill, couldn’t seek shade, no access to fluid, and it’s just real tragic circumstances.”
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