Darren Kay is an experienced fell runner
As of today, there has still been no news of missing Briton Darren Kay, 52, last seen by his partner on a run in Madeira on Sunday afternoon.
The BBC has followed up on Darren Kay’s disappearance, bringing a few more details.
It has already been established that Mr Kay was on holiday with his partner Victoria in the town of Calheta.
Last Sunday, they both “went on a two-hour run together” and then Mr Kay, from Sedbergh in Cumbria “decided to carry on by himself” for another 30 minutes.
Since then, nothing. He did not return to the couple’s hotel, and no-one on the island appears to have seen him.
Mr Kay’s parents and brother are now in Madeira, trying to be of some help to the search parties.
Brother Johnny Kay has told the BBC: “We would urge any local resident or tourist who saw Darren running alone on Sunday afternoon to come forward to the police so his last location can be pinpointed”.
Darren Kay has been fell running for 20 years. He and Victoria are described as “serious about the sport”, having competed for England. (Fell running, also known as hill running, is the sport of running and racing, off-road, over upland country where the gradient climbed is a significant component of the difficulty).
A GoFundMeAppeal raised to help with search efforts reveals that Darren was wearing black running gear when he went missing, with a small black back pack on his back.
Three foreign men went missing in Madeira last year, after setting out for walks/ hikes/ runs on their own. They have still not been traced. Those who know the island explain that many of the hillside walking trails can be treacherous – which is why advice has always been that anyone venturing out should not do so alone.
Portuguese reports today suggest firefighters are still sending out search parties, but searches by PSP police “have ceased”.
This morning four firefighters from Calheta set out in a jeep, reports Madeiran online Dnoticias.
The same news sources says PSP police “are available to collaborate with agents of Civil Protection if circumstances so determine this, or if new evidence transpires on the possible location of the missing person”.
Searches have been made difficult by the poor weather conditions on the island.
