The girlfriend of a retired cop who went missing while hiking in Greece has slammed Mediterranean authorities for doing nothing to help search for her partner.
Debbie LeShane said she has been forced to mount her own rescue mission for boyfriend Albert Calibet, a former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy.
The 59-year-old left for his hike in Amorgos – a rocky island of less than 2,000 inhabitants – around 7am last Tuesday.
Calibet, an experienced hiker with dual citizenship in Greece, is one of seven tourists to go missing or die in the country this month as it battles a ‘history-making’ 111F heatwave.
LeShane told the New York Post Monday: ‘I’m totally disgusted with the way we’ve been treated.
Debbie Leshane, the girlfriend of retired cop Albert Calibet, who went missing while on a hike in Greece, has slammed Mediterranean authorities for doing nothing to help search for her partner
Calibet left for his hike in Amorgos, a rocky island of less than 2,000 inhabitants, around 7 am last Tuesday, but did not arrive at his intended destination
‘Albert has been a first responder since he was 25 years old. Everybody deserves to be searched for. But he really, honestly deserves it.’
LeShane, Calibet’s brother Oliver, and a handful of their friends traveled 32 hours to Greece to take matters into their own hands. They’ve spent the last week searching for him in the cliffs.
The family is particularly concerned about the blistering heat hitting the island, with temperatures surpassing 100 degrees in the past week.
‘We actually literally had splinters going through our shoes into our feet. It’s ridiculous, it’s the seventh day and we’re beyond panic,’ she said.
LeShane slammed Greek authorities for only offering a brief helicopter search and failed to deliver on promises of drones, dogs, and further flights.
Oliver offered to pay for extra efforts, such as flying helicopter and using search dogs, but he was turned down.
LeShane insists search dogs ‘could have saved his life.’
Pictured: Map of where Calibet was supposed to end up after his hike
Calibet is the former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy and is an experienced hiker with dual citizenship in Greece
The search party made up of Calibet’s family and friends has been every day since 5 am. They end late and continue to strategize where to go from there.
However, LeShane said Greek authorities don’t work past sundown, and said their general attitude can be described as ‘let’s just go to bed and let Albert sleep outside.’
L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna released a statement on the 59-year-old’s disappearance.
‘We are actively collaborating with multiple agencies abroad to provide assistance in the search for Deputy Calibet and will use every resource we have available to bring him back to those who love him,’ Luna said.
Calibet’s last correspondence was a call to LeShane before embarking on his hike. He sent her a picture of a trailhead sign around 9:30 am.
Two hours later, footage showed Calibet leaving the village of Aegiali, where he picked up a soft drink and a bottle of water.
LeShane said she knew something was wrong when he didn’t respond to her texts after she woke up the next day.
She criticized authorities for refusing to access Calibet’s phone data and slammed the US Embassy for not helping more.
‘I’m gonna stay here until they find the love of my life,’ said Leshane.
Pictured: Dr. Michael Mosley (right), who went missing earlier this month, with his wife Clare Bailey
This is the picture of Mosley posted with an appeal after he went missing while walking on holiday in Greece on Wednesday
A GoFundMe has been organized to aid Calibet friends and family obtain more resources and equipment in their efforts to locate him.
Another tourist that had gone missing, Dr. Michael Mosley, 67, was found dead after a five day search on the Greek holiday island Symi earlier this month.
Dr. Mosley – one of Britain’s most well-known doctors who popularised the 5:2 diet and made regular TV appearances – was with friends at Agios Nikolaos beach on Wednesday, before going alone for a walk to the center of the island.