A dad-of-two has vanished while on a mountain biking ride which has sparked a cop manhunt.
US expat, Matt Opperman, was the head mechanic for the Australian mountain bike team at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Police are using a helicopter to scour the area for him.
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He went out on this bike in Segura de la Sierra, west of Alicante, Spain, over a fortnight ago.
Matt has lived in Spain for several years and set off on his electric mountain bike on 24 January.
He hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
Matt, 50, drove to his starting point in a black van.
He is described as an experienced bicycle mechanic.
His friends at the Málaga-based cycling club, SpainDh, describe him as a “strong cyclist and super fit” and say he “looks younger” than his real age.
His family says he planned to stay in a cabin and explore the mountains in the area.
They don’t know if he took a satellite messenger with him.
The operation to find Matt began last Thursday (6 Feb) after his disappearance was reported to the authorities.
It’s believed around 500 people took part in searches to find him on Saturday (8 Feb) and yesterday (9 Feb).
Footage of a Civil Guard helicopter taking part in the operation shows how the mountainous terrain is heavily forested.
An 86 sq mile area is being explored on foot and on bike, as reported by Need To Know.
Matt has lived in Houston, Texas, and Longmont, Colorado, both in the US.
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