The wife of missing TV doctor Michael Mosley has vowed her family “will not lose hope” as she described the days since his disappearance as “the longest and most unbearable”.

The statement by Dr Clare Bailey Mosley came as the couple’s four children arrived on the Greek island of Symi and the focus of the extensive search for the broadcaster shifted to a snake-infested mountainous area after CCTV footage emerged of his last known movements.

As the rescue effort continued amid soaring temperatures, one emergency worker said it was “a race against time”.

Making her first comments, Dr Bailey Mosley said: “It has been three days since Michael left the beach to go for a walk. The longest and most unbearable days for myself and my children.

“The search is ongoing and our family are so incredibly grateful to the people of Symi, the Greek authorities and the British Consulate who are working tirelessly to help find Michael.

“We will not lose hope.”

Read more about missing TV doctor:
What we know about his last known movements
Son reveals surreal parallels with case of missing dad

Symi’s mayor has said there is “no chance” the search, which has involved helicopters, drones and divers, will be called off until the 67-year-old is found.

But while Eleftherios Papakaloudoukas said he hoped the Briton would be found safe, he questioned how anyone could survive in the heat that topped 40C (104F) on the day he vanished.

He pointed out a search dog was only able to work for an hour on Saturday morning due to the temperature.

Mosley has not been seen since Wednesday after he left his wife and another couple and set out alone from Saint Nikolas Beach to walk back to their friends’ home in Symi town.

He was later caught on security camera in the small fishing village of Pedi, around 1.2km away, which appeared to show him heading up into rocky terrain.

His wife raised the alarm after he failed to return.

One rescuer said: “The path is not easy to follow, if he took a wrong turn, he would be lost.

“He could be anywhere, it is a race against time.”

The search for Mosley resumed early on Saturday, with teams scouring a 6.5km radius over a mountainous landscape, which search organisers described as “very dangerous”.

Mr Papakaloudoukas said the area the missing is believed to have ventured into is “only rocks” and “difficult to pass”, with “loads” of snakes.

He added: “He chose paths which are very difficult to walk in such temperatures and under any circumstances.”

Authorities have considered a number of possibilities for Mosley’s disappearance, including that he may have suffered a fall or been bitten by a snake, according to reports.

He did not have his mobile phone with him, hampering efforts to find him.

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Mosley, his wife and the other couple are understood to arrived in Symi for a week’s holiday on Tuesday.

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Mosley is a columnist and presenter who has made a number of films about healthy living.

Known for popularising the 5:2 diet, he fronted the Channel 4 show Michael Mosley: Who Made Britain Fat? and was part of the BBC series Trust Me, I’m A Doctor.

He has also appeared on numerous daytime television shows and hosts the health podcast, Just One Thing.

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