A desperate search is underway for a British woman who has vanished in Spain without a trace after she failed to board a ferry back to British soil with her beloved dog. Wendy Iles was travelling home from the Costa Blanca when she reportedly lost contact with her family. Her daughter, Louise, believes her passport has been stolen, and her mobile phone has since been switched off.
Last Known Contact
Concerned relatives alerted police, including Interpol and authorities back in the UK, after Wendy was last heard from at around 9pm on Sunday while in the Alfafar area, near Valencia. Louise said when she last spoke to her mum, she was confused and the campervan she had been driving had been stolen.
Her daughter Louise has launched an urgent appeal for information, revealing her mum was travelling with her Springer Spaniel when she disappeared. In a social media post, Louise said her mother was last known to be in the area between Silla, Alfafar and Russafa, just south of Valencia city, and was en route to Caen in northern France to catch a ferry back to Britain.
Failed Ferry Crossing
Wendy failed to make the crossing on May 23. She is described as 5ft tall and travelling with her dog, a springer spaniel. Her worried daughter has urged anyone with any information to come forward, and has turned to expat forums online to spread the word amongst other grey nomads.
Responding to questions on an expat forum about why she believed the vehicle had been stolen, Louise explained: "I am going with my last conversation with her where she was without the vehicle and had reported it stolen."
Frustration with Authorities
In a further update shared late on Monday after obtaining an Interpol reference number, Louise said: "If anyone I know has any family, friends or contacts in Spain please can you share this post with them to see if there has been any sightings of my mum in the Valencia area." She also expressed frustration at the difficulties involved in tracing her mother's movements. "British police will not track her bank transactions until she's classed as high risk, and Spanish police will not search until 48 hours have passed," she said.
Louise added that Wendy appeared confused during their last contact and had failed to arrive at a hotel she had recommended while they tried to resolve issues surrounding the camper van. "Last heard from her 9pm UK time yesterday in the Alfafar area," she wrote. "She is very confused and did not turn up at the hotel I suggested she stay at whilst we get her camper van sorted. Phone not active since 9.45pm yesterday."
The Iles family continues to appeal for information as concern grows over Wendy's whereabouts. The UK Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
