Dr Michael Mosley search change announced by police but 'more men' promised

Greek police have announced a significant development on the third day of the search for missing TV doctor, Dr Michael Mosley, who is renowned and well-liked for his diet and nutrition advice on television and radio.

As darkness fell over the small Greek Island of Symi in the early hours of Friday morning, local authorities suspended the search until daylight, when the investigation into his disappearance is expected to intensify - three days after Dr Mosley went missing on Wednesday afternoon.

The search for the 67 year old father of four, who disappeared shortly after leaving a beach on the island where he was vacationing with his wife, had already escalated on Thursday, with fire officers, police search teams, dogs, helicopters, and drones all combing the Greek island for Dr Mosley, reports the Mirror.

READ MORE: Michael Mosley missing: Greek mayor in heartbreaking 'impossible' admission as night descends

However, as dawn breaks over the popular holiday spot, Greek police have assured that "more men will be coming" to assist with the search, which has already involved emergency service personnel and equipment from surrounding islands in the Aegean Sea. In their most recent update, they confirmed the search had been halted for the night.

Dr Mosley is believed to have vanished in the Pedi area on the northeast of the island after walking from St Nikolas Beach toward Pedi Beach, a popular coastal route frequented by many people each year. This led one local to describe the doctor's disappearance as "very strange."

She commented: "It's a quiet place ... if you see the map of the area it's a clear path, it's nothing dangerous, many people go every day, every few minutes, that's the reason it's very strange because it's a clear path."

So far, the search has been primarily concentrated on this Pedi area of the island but after hours of unsuccessful searching, the Mayor of Symi, Eleftherios Papakalodoukas, stated it would be "impossible" for the TV doctor to remain missing in such a small area. The entirety of Symi, part of the Dodecanese island chain, measures just 65km².

He told the BBC: "It is a very small, controlled area, full of people. So, if something happened to him there, we would have found him by now."

The renowned health expert shares four children with his wife and fellow doctor Clare Bailey Mosley, who is also a writer specialising in health and food advice columns. The couple, who have hosted theatre show tours together, recently attended the Hay Festival, where Mosley presented a special edition of his Radio 4 series and podcast Just One Thing.