Search continues for Warwick University professor missing in Chile

Prof Tom Marsh was last heard from on 16 September, police said

A search is continuing for a professor who vanished from a research trip to the Chilean desert more than two weeks ago, his university colleague said.

University of Warwick academic Prof Tom Marsh was last spoken to on 16 September during a visit to La Silla Observatory.

The 60-year-old's colleagues remained "worried and anxious," said the university's provost, Prof Chris Ennew.

"We remain hugely hopeful that there will be good news," she added.

The founding professor of the university's astronomy and astrophysics group was reported missing from the observatory with local emergency services taking advice from his family as part of their investigations, she explained.

"They're trying to understand the places that he knew, the places he would like to walk," she said.

"They know he was an experienced walker who could cover quite significant distances, so they are being very much guided by the family."

Prof Chris Ennew said emergency services were liaising with the missing professor's family

The "big advantage" of using local search teams was that they "understand the terrain and have the experience of working at altitude," she added.

"So we're very confident that they're doing absolutely the right thing and they're committed to the search."

The professor from Rugby had been working as a visiting astronomer at the European Southern Observatory.

Prof Ennew said the university was in regular contact with the family and had offered them support, along with his colleagues, students and friends in the Warwick community.

Warwickshire Police previously said it was liaising with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Interpol, and Chilean authorities.