A human skeleton has been discovered in a hard-to-reach area of the Greek island of Sikinos, raising strong suspicions that it belongs to one of two French tourists who have been missing since June 2024. The remains were found by a local hunter, who immediately alerted the authorities. Police and fire service teams reached the scene and recovered the skeletal remains.
According to preliminary assessments, the skeleton is believed to belong to one of the two French women who disappeared while hiking on the island last summer. Personal belongings found near the remains are reported to match those of one of the missing tourists, reinforcing this assessment.
The remains have been collected and will be transferred to the Athens Forensic Service for official identification. The case is being handled by Greece’s forensic investigation authorities, who will examine all available evidence to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the woman’s death.
At the same time, a new large-scale search operation has been launched to locate the second missing woman. Firefighters, volunteers, trained dogs and professional drones are taking part in the ongoing effort, which is focused on rugged and inaccessible terrain.
The two women, aged 73 and 64, had been staying at different hotels on Sikinos. Authorities believe they met during their stay on the island and decided to go hiking together on the day they disappeared.
The last known contact with the 73-year-old woman was with the hotel owner where she was staying. She reportedly sent a message saying she had stumbled, fallen and was feeling unwell, along with a photo showing her lying on the ground. She was unable to share her exact location, and shortly afterward her mobile phone signal was lost. No further contact was made.
Initial search efforts had focused on coastal areas connected to hiking trails from the island’s main settlement. Experienced hikers familiar with Sikinos’ trail network have since suggested alternative routes the women may have taken, particularly if they intended to undertake a longer trek.
