A US tourist who went missing a week ago on the small Greek island of Mathraki was found dead on a secluded beach on Sunday, June 17, 2024, local authorities confirmed. The deceased, identified as 55-year-old Toby Sheets, is another victim in a string of fatalities involving tourists on Greek islands during a severe heatwave.
Sheets, a resident of Floral Park, Long Island, New York, was last seen at a local café on Tuesday, June 11, in the company of two women who have since departed the island. His Greek-American host filed a missing person report on Thursday upon finding Sheets’ accommodations open and the air conditioning still running but no sign of Sheets himself. His identification and travel documents were also absent.
The island of Mathraki, famous for its dense forests and home to approximately 100 residents, is located west of Corfu. Sheets’ body was found on a rocky beach and was subsequently transported to a hospital in Corfu for autopsy. The results revealed that Sheets had drowned and his body had been in the water for several days. It is suspected that the ocean waves washed his body ashore after the initial search had taken place.
Sheets was well-known in the horse racing community as a longtime assistant trainer to Steve Asmussen, a horse racing Hall of Famer and the leading Thoroughbred horse trainer in North America in terms of victories.
The Greece national broadcaster ERT and the Athens News Agency reported the incident, drawing attention to the extreme weather conditions currently plaguing Greece. The country is undergoing its earliest recorded heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 104 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to several deaths and multiple missing persons reports.
While the U.S. State Department has been contacted for a statement, it has yet to respond. Greek officials are advising tourists to exercise caution, particularly during outdoor activities in the intense afternoon heat.
The heatwave has claimed several lives in recent weeks, including a 74-year-old Dutch tourist who was found dead in a ravine on the island of Samos after a solo hike. Dr. Michael Mosley, a British television presenter and columnist, was found dead on the island of Symi after he collapsed during a hike. Mosley’s wife reported that he had taken a wrong turn before reaching a marina, leading to a location where his body was not easily visible.
Albert Calibet, a retired Deputy Sheriff from Los Angeles County, California, is also reported missing. The 59-year-old was last seen on Amorgos Island where he went for a solo hike amidst the extreme heat. Search operations for Calibet continue.
Two French women aged 64 and 73 are also missing on the island of Sikinos. They were supposed to meet after leaving their respective hotels but have not been seen since. Rescue teams are persevering in their search efforts despite the challenging conditions posed by the intense heat and rugged terrain.
Local authorities are concerned about tourist safety as they may be unaware of the risks associated with Greece’s harsh summer weather. “There is a common pattern—they all went for a hike amid high temperatures,” said Petros Vassilakis, a spokesperson for the Southern Aegean police.
The Greek government is taking steps to alleviate the effects of the heatwave, including closing schools and major tourist attractions like the Acropolis during peak heat hours. They are also contemplating enhanced methods of informing tourists about the dangers of heat exhaustion and promoting safer travel habits.
As search operations for the missing tourists continue, Greek authorities are making efforts to protect the safety of their visitors.