Missing British teen Alex Batty found in France after six years
British teenager Alex Batty, who disappeared in 2017, has been found in the foothills of the French Pyrenees and has returned to the UK, according to Greater Manchester Police.
Alex, his mother, and grandfather all vanished while on holiday in Spain in 2017. His mother does not have parental guardianship of the 17-year-old, and her current whereabouts are unknown.
The circumstances surrounding Alex’s disappearance are yet to be established, and police are also determining whether there will be a criminal investigation.
Alex was found on Wednesday by a motorist near Toulouse, and he was met at Toulouse airport by a family member and specially-trained officers before flying back to the UK.
The police have not obtained formal statements from Alex and cannot comment on the details disclosed by French authorities about what he may have been doing while missing. They are speaking with him at a pace that feels comfortable to him to determine how to progress with the case and whether a criminal investigation will ensue. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance are also yet to be fully established.
Alex is believed to have been living a nomadic lifestyle in spiritual communities with his mother and grandfather for the past few years. His disappearance occurred after a pre-agreed week-long holiday to Marbella in Spain. After that, he was last seen at the Port of Malaga on the day they were expected to return to the UK.
Since then, residents of the small hamlet of La Bastide in the Pyrenees have said that Alex had been staying at a guesthouse on and off for the past two years, and French officials said he decided to leave when his mother wanted to go to Finland. Alex is believed to have walked through the mountainous terrain of southern France for four days before being found.
His grandmother, Susan Caruana, expressed her relief and happiness at his safe return. She requested privacy for the family as they work to make Alex’s return as comforting as possible.