Dr Michael Mosley’s last ride was ‘recipe for disaster’, says expert

A post-mortem examination report on Dr Michael Mosley, released on Monday, confirmed the popular TV doctor died of natural causes. However, a physiotherapist said the circumstances surrounding his death were consistent with heat exhaustion.

Dr Mosley was found dead on Sunday following an extensive four-day search involving police, firefighters, divers and a helicopter. The alarm was raised by his wife when he did not return from a walk on Agios Nikolaos beach on the Greek island of Symi.

A post-mortem examination revealed that the 67-year-old father of four died of natural causes at around 4pm on Wednesday, with no initial injuries. Additional toxicology and histology reports were also requested.

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Chris Byrne, senior lecturer in sport and health sciences at the University of Exeter, told the Daily Express that “Michael Mosley’s tragic story illustrates the rare but potentially lethal effect of combining physical activity with high environmental heat”. However, he also highlighted several factors unique to Dr. Mosley’s case that created a “recipe for disaster,” the Express reports.

Byrne pointed out that Dr Mosley’s advanced age increased the risk of heat exhaustion, as our ability to regulate body temperature declines with age. Furthermore, he noted that the doctor was exposed to “extreme” weather conditions, adding that if a sporting event had been scheduled in similar conditions, it would have been canceled due to the “high risk” of heat-related problems.

In addition, Dr. Mosley found himself in difficult environmental conditions, the terrain being both rocky and hilly. All of these elements played a role in raising his body temperature without any means to cool down. To compound the problem, Dr. Mosley had no immediate access to shade or water, leaving him with no way to reduce his body heat. Such situations, Mr Byrne points out, can lead to a potentially fatal heat stroke.

“(It wasn’t) a good situation what was going on,” Byrne noted of Mosley’s death. “You wouldn’t recommend that someone walk in 35 degree (C) heat, with no water, at an advanced age, with no access to shade, walking over rough terrain uphill and not knowing the end point,” added Mr Byrne , labeling it “truly a recipe for disaster.”

“We don’t know exactly what happened, but looking at the details (reported in the media) I would say it fits heat sickness…Walking for three hours in such environmental conditions is not advisable. “

Mr Byrne concluded: “It appears he made some mistakes, took some wrong turns, ended up on rough terrain going uphill, couldn’t seek shade, didn’t have access to fluid and it’s just tragic circumstances.”

“You wouldn’t recommend that someone walk in 35 degree (C) heat, with no water, at an advanced age, with no access to shade, walking over rough terrain uphill and not knowing the end point,” Mr Byrne said . “(It’s) really a recipe for disaster.

“We don’t know exactly what happened, but looking at the details (reported in the media) I would say it fits heat sickness…Walking for three hours in such environmental conditions is not advisable. It looks like he made some mistakes, took some wrong turns, ended up on rough terrain going uphill, couldn’t seek shade, didn’t have access to fluid, and it’s just tragic circumstances.”