Missing Southsea man David Cann 'spotted in Crete' as family fear search effort in Turkey will become 'smaller scale'

A MAN who vanished in Turkey almost two weeks ago may have been spotted in Crete, according to a holidaymaker.
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David Cann, 56, from Cromwell Road, Southsea, was last seen on Tuesday, July 5, when he left the hotel he was staying at in Hisaronu in the western part of the country to walk to a popular ghost town nearby.

His nephew Gavin Thomas, who has been out in Turkey over the last week, told The News there has been a reported sighting of Dave in Crete yesterday.

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An email was sent to the family by a holidaymaker who claims to have seen someone matching Dave’s description in Kastelli, Kissamos, in the western part of the Greek island. The area is a 22-hour drive 570 miles away from where he was last seen.

David Cann may have been spotted in Crete. Picture: Topline Communications/PA WireDavid Cann may have been spotted in Crete. Picture: Topline Communications/PA Wire
David Cann may have been spotted in Crete. Picture: Topline Communications/PA Wire

In a message received by Mr Thomas, the tourist said: ‘We are currently in Crete and today we saw a man who looked very similar to your uncle.

‘He was acting incredibly erratically and eventually the police took him to the police station.

‘(This was) in the town of Kastelli, Kissamos, Western Crete. I know this is a totally different country but geographically not that far.

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‘We weren't sure of his nationality but he was speaking English.

David Cann (centre) on a recent family Christmas skiing trip. Picture: Family handoutDavid Cann (centre) on a recent family Christmas skiing trip. Picture: Family handout
David Cann (centre) on a recent family Christmas skiing trip. Picture: Family handout

‘I was only there for about 10 (minutes) before the police arrived. He got aggressive in the police car. He also had a wallet with him.’

Mr Thomas has said that the sighting is being followed up by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

In Turkey search efforts to locate Dave are still ongoing, however according to his family one of the organisations involved – AKUT – have said they will not be able to continue without new information.

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Mr Thomas said: ‘As hard as it is to admit, we think we really have done as much as possible locally.

One of the Dave's missing person posters in Turkey. Picture: Family handoutOne of the Dave's missing person posters in Turkey. Picture: Family handout
One of the Dave's missing person posters in Turkey. Picture: Family handout

‘The AKUT team on Saturday confirmed they can’t continue to search without further information, and so the search is now mainly being done by the police/Jandarma and I am sure on a smaller scale.

‘We are extremely worried that this means the intensity of searching will drop off and progress will now be slow to none.’

A Go-Fund-Me page has been set up to help with the search – it can be found here.

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