The body of a missing 33-year-old physician was discovered on Thursday in western Crete, ending a five-month search in a case that had mobilized police, firefighters and volunteer rescue teams.

The body, in an advanced state of decomposition, was discovered on Thursday near the village of Tzitzifes in the Apokoronas area of Chania, close to where his vehicle had been located months earlier. Authorities believe it belongs to Alexis Tsikopoulos, who disappeared in December 2025.

A shepherd in the area reportedly located skeletal remains and alerted authorities. Police, fire services and a forensic expert were dispatched to the scene. The cause of death has not yet been determined and is expected to be clarified following a post-mortem examination.

Tsikopoulos, a doctor at Venizelio Hospital in Heraklion, went missing on 7 December 2025 after contacting his father by phone and telling him he was not feeling well. He asked him to travel to Crete shortly before contact was lost.

His car was later found in the Apokoronas area near the village of Fres, prompting extensive searches across nearby settlements and rural terrain. Family members had suggested the vehicle may have suffered a mechanical failure, and search teams initially focused on the possibility that he had left the car on foot.

Over the following weeks, police, fire crews and volunteer search groups expanded operations, with additional support from rescue teams who spent several days on the island assisting efforts. Despite repeated searches and widening coverage of the area, no trace of him had been found until the discovery on Thursday.