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Carol Sheridan missing in French Alps


EmilyA
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[quote user="EmilyA"]Have just heard that Carol, who posts on here as Sheridan, is missing. Here is a link to the thread on the Gransnet forum.

http://www.gransnet.com/forums/other_subjects/1202005-IMPORTANT-Please-read-Missing-Gransnet-member-in-France.

If anyone is in that

region, it would help if they could spread the word.[/quote]

Hope it's OK for me to do that, as speed is important in these circumstances:

http://www.gransnet.com/forums/other_subjects/1202005-IMPORTANT-Please-read-Missing-Gransnet-member-in-France

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'Carol Sheridan lives in Habere Poche, in the Haute Savoie departement about 20 miles from Lake Geneva. She is keen on hiking alone in the mountains, and will often take off in her car to find a remote mountain pass where she can walk and enjoy the amazing scenery.

On Saturday last, she was seen driving out of her car park by a neighbour, and she has not been sighted since. Police have made enquiries and advised she can be listed as a missing person this morning. Interpol, Wellington, New Zealand police and the French gendarmerie will cooperate in attempts to find Carol. (Her daughter lives in New Zealand)

Her daughter, Fiona Conyers, is coordinating a poster campaign, and local radio stations, the Mairie, people in the village, Commonwealth Office, British Embassy and several others have been notified.

She drives a black Fiat Panda 4x4 reg: AZ 522 AP. She could be parked on a mountain pass, waiting for help to arrive if she has broken down. The walks she goes on are in very remote areas, but she does occasionally see other walkers and cyclists.'

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Hello, I'm Carol's Granddaughter, Lara. We have been able to make some progress overnight in terms of contacting local individuals & businesses. Our French isn't fluent so if any French speakers are able to assist by contacting local media or any groups that could be of use such as aviation or walking groups, it would be a tremendous help!

We are currently awaiting a call from the charity Missing Abroad who are liaising with the FO today and putting pressure on the French police to launch an official search - will update when we know more.

Thank you for all your support - please keep sharing. I have drafted some posters portraying a vehicle similar to the one owned by my Nan as I believe finding the car is going to be key. These posters can be found on Carol's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/carol.sheridan.79?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/carolsheridanmissing
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Sorry, I am having problems posting replies - hence the simple copy of e's post above.

I am not in the immediate area, but hope this might help.

Suggest you contact Dauphine Libere which is the regional newspaper.  (Sorry no accents seem to be possible).

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Have a look at the latter parts of:

http://www.initiadroit.com/doc.php?theme=21

The issue seems to be to establish that the disappearance is "preoccupant" due to the circumstances of the situation. It specifically mentions things like someone who is depressed or has been subject to threats, but presumably a case could be made where the person was expected and did not turn up, etc etc. It requires a member of the family to directly make the approach to the gendarmes.

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I think the family have asked them directly. This is her granddaughter's post on another forum. Obviously extra difficult because they are in New Zealand.

UPDATE:

Just received a call from the foreign office who have been in contact with the local police.

Having been advised by several charities to remain put as there is little we can do from France that we couldn't do from home (particularly as we are not fluent French-speakers), the French police have now suggested that if we want them to begin a search party for my Nan we should be over there doing it ourselves.

Unfortunately they maintain that a crime has not been committed and that if a person wishes to disappear they have every right to do so.

After much talking the foreign office is going to contact them again and stress how vulnerable Carol is and how unusual this behaviour is.

Their lack of urgency in this matter is of course adding to our stress, but we will persist with it & keep you all updated.

Please continue with your efforts to raise awareness in the local community & get everyone looking for her car!
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Update from Carol's granddaughter.

UPDATE:

Got the call - have just been informed that an official search is being launched by French police TODAY. Mountain police have also been contacted and are launching their own search as well.

The focus is on finding Nan's car and from there a helicopter is on standby to complete a more thorough search in a specific area.

This is a testament to all your hard work in getting the work out there and putting pressure on the police to act!

Don't stop now - she isn't found, keep it up!!
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Quillan, that was a cut and paste from another forum where lots has been happening. Carol's granddaughter is keen to keep the information flowing, so I have been helping out. Hope that is OK. I have been a bit surprised that there has not been much response here. It would be great if anyone in the region could let us know about any media coverage.
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Of course it is OK and the best of luck. I just don't like recieving any form of praise personally when I have not doing to warrant it, it make me feel uncomfortable but that is just me. [;-)]

Yes I agree it would be nice to know.

Hope it all works out for the best.

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[quote user="EmilyA"]It would be great if anyone in the region could let us know about any media coverage.[/quote]

It has hit the France 3 Alpes website - such articles sometimes end up on the local news in the region.

http://alpes.france3.fr/2013/10/31/sans-nouvelles-de-carol-sheridan-ressortissante-britannique-disparue-habere-poche-haute-savoie-349409.html

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It would really help if you could monitor the local media to see what they are covering, Sheila. I can only find stuff on the France3 Alpes website, but need to know if there is anything in the local paper or on the news. The family are in England and New Zealand, so nobody is there as far as I know.

Also, I don't think Carol posted on here often, but the family are asking about information on any communication after Saturday lunchtime.
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I have just checked on Le Messager newspaper website - there does not seem to be anything regarding Carol's disappearance on there. Unfortunately, our satellite is tuned to the BBC and therefore does not pick up the local television stations - I know, we should be more active in local affairs. Will however continue to check on Le Messager to see whether anything is mentioned. Doesn't help much, but a little better than nothing.

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I can recieve the regional channels, I will do my best to remember to take a break at 19.00 tonight to watch the regional news, is it France3 Provence Alpes or France3 rhone Alpes?

is there scheduling the same as the other regions, local news at 19.00 to 19.30 or perhaps later?

In my region I think its the local news first then a pick of the regional news from all the regions then the main countrywide and occasional worldwide news, so it would be worth others watching even if they are not in the region it may go out to all of them.

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That would be great Chancer. I think Provence Alpes (it is Haute Savoie), but I am not sure. I think the scheduling is the same everywhere.

It is so important to find the car and it seems to me that the local news is the obvious way.
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