Forensic experts visit site in Natalie’s death

Forensic pathologists are descending upon the Greek island of Ikaria on Thursday to conduct an on-site autopsy in the death of Natalie Christopher, a London-based scientist whose body was found in a ravine two days after she had disappeared.

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Hellenic Police said on Wednesday that the body of 35-year-old Natalie Christopher, a British Cypriot scientist, was discovered during a search after she had gone missing for two days.

Natalie’s body was found underneath a rock in a 20-meter-deep rocky gully, about a kilometre away from the hotel where she had been staying with her boyfriend, a 34-year-old Cypriot national.

Her body and the surrounding area was cordoned off and guarded overnight until forensic pathologists and police investigators could conduct an on-site autopsy and investigation on Thursday morning. 

Crime detectives from the Greek capital and a forensic pathologist from the nearby island of Syros are reportedly on the expert team, according to Cyprus News Agency. 

Media reports speculated that Natalie, an outdoorswoman and avid climber, had attempted to ascend or descend a rock within a gorge and a piece of rock might have detached during the attempt, falling on top of her and crushing her to death. But no official comments were made as to the cause or manner of death. It was also reported that Natalie had not taken her climbing gear but she was on a morning run when she went missing according to her boyfriend.

A cell phone, believed to be Natalie’s device that was used to track down her location, was reportedly found with the body. A volunteer in one of the search parties had climbed down to inspect the ravine reportedly searching for the phone when he unexpectedly spotted the body crushed underneath a rock.

Following the autopsy, Natalie’s body is expected to be flown to Athens where a post mortem will take place.