A couple of messages, a flower bouquet. Locals and expats expressed their sorrow about Steven Cook, whose remains were found in a deep well in Malia last week.
20-year-old Steven Cook from UK went missing in 2005 during holidays in Crete.
Steven Cook, from Sandbach, Cheshire, was on his first holiday without his family and went missing in September 2005 after a night out with friends in the resort town of Malia.
He was last seen outside a bar in Malia, Crete, asking for directions for his hotel, but apparently walked in the wrong direction.
A search operation at that time did not bring any results.
His parents put up a 7,000 Euro reward for information about their missing son.
Several sightings of a man of Steven’s description by holidaymakers on Crete and nearby island Rhodes in the months after his disappearance had led the family to believe he may have still been alive.
For eleven years, Cook’s whereabouts remained a mystery.
Last week, workers cleaning a deep well found a human skeleton and called the police.Also a disposable camera and a belt were found next to the skeleton.
Forensic examination confirmed that the human remains belonged to Steven Cook.
Cheshire police said Greek authorities had now confirmed the remains found in a well belonged to him after forensic examination.
The force said its priority was to ensure Mr Cook was flown home to the UK “as soon as possible”.
The force said the discovery of the body was being managed by the Greek authorities, it was their investigation and the inquiry into what happened was ongoing.
Asked whether it was a murder inquiry, a force spokesman said it was “too early to say”.
Upon the DNA confirmation, Cook’s family posted on Facebook: ‘Today we have learned that after over 11 years our much loved and missed son, brother, uncle, nephew and friend will be finally coming home to be with us again.
Investigation about the cause of death continues.
sources: flashnews.gr, parakritika.gr, bbc, dailymail
