Hopes of finding a 33-year-old doctor missing in Crete are fading, more than five weeks after his disappearance, as fresh search efforts begin amid growing concern from his family.
Alexis Tsikopoulos, who went missing 37 days ago, has not been located despite extensive searches. On Wednesday, a volunteer rescue team launched a renewed operation on the island, responding to a request from the doctor’s family to restart efforts from scratch.
The new search is being coordinated by volunteer rescuer Christos Ramos, whose team began operations early in the morning. According to Ramos, the search will focus on the area where the doctor’s car was last found, treating it as “ground zero” for the renewed investigation.
“We accepted the family’s request to help with the search,” Ramos said. “We are starting again from the point where the vehicle was discovered. I strongly believe in the search dogs that will arrive early tomorrow morning. We are also coordinating with the police and local hunting groups. A major effort will be made, starting again from the beginning, and continuing for as long as needed, until Alexis is found.”
The operation brings together volunteers, trained search dogs, police officers, members of the Hellenic Red Cross, and local hunting associations, reflecting the scale of the renewed push despite the time that has passed.
For the family, the disappearance has become a prolonged ordeal. The parents of the missing doctor have traveled to Crete to be present during the new searches, hoping that fresh eyes and additional resources might lead to answers.
Speaking to Greek media, the doctor’s mother described the emotional toll of the past month and her decision to join the search in person. She said she felt it was essential to be there as volunteers gathered to help find her son.
“I came to Crete myself because volunteers came here to help Alexis, and I felt it was not just necessary, but imperative that I be with them,” she said. “More people are arriving, including teams with search dogs, volunteers from the Red Cross, and hunters. A great effort will be made, if we can, if we are able to find him.”
Despite the renewed mobilization, the family has acknowledged that the chances of a positive outcome are diminishing with each passing day. Still, they insist that the search will continue as long as there is any possibility of locating the missing doctor.
Authorities have not released new findings regarding the circumstances of the disappearance. For now, the focus remains on ground searches and coordination between official services and volunteers, as Crete becomes the center of a race against time to resolve a case that has deeply unsettled the local community.
