the essentials An investigation was opened after the worrying disappearance of a French couple ten days ago on the island of Madeira (Portugal), the public prosecutor in Montauban announced on Tuesday March 26.
An investigation was opened after the worrying disappearance of a French couple ten days ago on the island of Madeira (Portugal), the public prosecutor in Montauban announced this Tuesday.
Who are the missing vacationers?
Véronique and Laurent Blond, went on vacation to the Portuguese island of Madeira with Johanna, one of their daughters. But the couple has not given any sign of life since they left for a “short hike” on March 16 in Sao Vicente, the prosecutor said in a press release.
The two missing, aged 58 and 56, are from Beaumont-de-Lomagne (Tarn-et-Garonne), where they have run a bakery for seven years. Not seeing them return from their walk even though they had only left with two bottles of water and a little liquid, their 27-year-old daughter raised the alarm in the afternoon.
Important research device
“Significant search resources were immediately mobilized on site, including firefighters, local police and gendarmerie, civil protection, the maritime authority and the judicial police; the use of drones also quickly reinforced the system,” details the prosecutor’s press release.
The prosecutor referred the matter to the Castelsarrasin research brigade and the Beaumont-de-Lomagne gendarmerie “of this judicial investigation opened into a worrying disappearance”. On the French side, the first investigations, including a search of the parents’ home and telephone inquiries, did not produce any new elements.
On social networks, a call for witnesses was published on March 18. Facebook screenshot
The couple’s daughters are also getting involved, as they can, to help the search which began on Sunday morning, Pauline Blond told Sud Radio. On social networks, a call for witnesses was published on March 18. “Don’t leave us so without information,” asks the latter this Wednesday on Sud Radio. She regrets the lack of communication on the progress of the research and has “the impression of being abandoned”. Johanna, for her part, returned to France on Saturday, unable to do anything more there.
“To date, the local judicial police are continuing their investigation and the search continues,” said the prosecutor.