The mother of a British man who disappeared while volunteering on a farm in Sardinia has made a desperate plea for his safe return.
Michael Frison, 25, from Chard, in Somerset, has not been seen since leaving for a walk in rural Luras on July 13.
Mr Frison, who grew up in Bristol, had been visiting family while volunteering in the northern side of the island. A police search was suspended on Friday.
His mother Cristina Pittalis has now flown to the island, where she said her son left this phone, laptop and ID at his accommodation.
In a video shared on social media, Ms Pittalis said Mr Frison’s younger brother Emanuele had been ‘suffering from your absence’.
Michael Frison, 25, (pictured) from Chard, in Somerset, has not been seen since leaving for a walk in rural Luras, Sardina on July 13
Mr Frison, (pictured) who grew up in Bristol, had been visiting family while volunteering in the northern side of the island
Mr Frison went missing in northern Sardinia on Saturday before authorities began searches
She said: ‘I know you are alive. I’m looking for you, and I am very worried.
‘I understand how close you two are, and he loves you very much.
‘I feel in my heart that you are alive.’
‘I know that seeing the civil service or even the Carabinieri [police] looking for you might make you scared,’ the worried mother added.
‘You don’t need to be afraid to be found. Don’t hesitate to approach someone for help if you need water or food.
‘Remember how much Emanuele is suffering from your absence. He even sent you a voice message.’
In a voice message Mr Frison’s younger brother said: ‘I miss you, come home.
‘Whoever receives this message, find my brother and tell them I sent this message.
‘Tell him my name. Tell him I miss him and I love him.’
A fundraiser has been set up to try and raised funds to get volunteers out to Sardinia in the search for Mr Frison’s. It has raised £2,765 so far.
Michael’s mother shared a picture of him taken last week in a plea for help in local searches
Mr Frison’s mother Cristina Pittalis has now flown to the island, where she said her son left this phone, laptop and ID at his accommodation
A fundraiser has been set up to try and raised funds to get volunteers out to Sardinia in the search for Mr Frison. It has raised £2,765 so far
Organiser Evie Baker wrote: ‘On Saturday 13th July Michael went missing in Sardinia. He was due to start some volunteering but felt unwell, not used to the hot climate and possibly dehydrated he was given water and went to sleep.
‘When he woke he said he was going for a walk and now sadly he is missing.
‘I can’t tell you how genuinely lovely this family is I’m absolutely heartbroken for them.’
Mr Frison is one of three people who have been missing since Sunday in northern Sardinia, Italian media has reported.
An elderly Italian tourist also disappeared on holiday in Valledoria, and an elderly woman vanished in Stintino.
The missing tourist in Valledoria was identified only as a tourist with health problems, holidaying in the region.
The tourist in Stintino was identified as Carla Visentin when her family alerted authorities.
She was reported to have disappeared from the area of Cala Lupo on Sunday.
She also has health problems and moves with difficulty, according to local media.
Authorities have been engaged in a ‘non-stop’ search for the three missing people since Sunday evening, La Repubblica reported.
The investigations stretch police resources with temperatures rising across the continent.
Greece was most recently hit by a spate of tragic disappearances, with Petros Vassilakis, the police spokesman for the Southern Aegean, claiming there was a ‘common pattern’ of tourists going for a walk amid high temperatures.
By June 26 it was reported six people had been found dead from heat-related incidents, with authorities urging caution in the heat wave.
Daily Mail columnist Michael Mosley was found dead on the island of Symi, another Aegean islands, on June 9 after a four-day search operation by land, sea and air.
He had taken a walk alone in high temperatures before going missing.
And authorities investigating the disappearance of Briton Jay Slater, 19, today recovered the remains of a body on Tenerife, nearly a month since his disappearance.
Although Spanish police are awaiting full identification, they say that ‘everything is pointing to it being’ Jay, who they said could have ‘suffered an accident or fall in the inaccessible area where he was found’.
Despite concerns about the weather, most missing people are found or return within the first few days of going missing, according to the Metropolitan Police.
