The family of a retired British doctor have issued an urgent appeal after he went missing in the French Pyrenees almost 48 hours ago. Tom Doherty, 67, from St Albans, was hiking and camping near Col d’Escots when his family lost contact with him on Tuesday evening, just after he sent messages saying he had fallen and couldn’t move. A search is under way involving dogs and helicopters. His daughter, Rachel Doherty, said a search party has recovered his tent and car. She said the family had last heard from Doherty at just after 7pm on 6 August on WhatsApp. He set off on the hike on 3 August. He sent them messages asking for help and told them he had fallen and could not move. Rachel Doherty said: “He was sending us a few pictures of the scenery and then on Tuesday afternoon sent us one of clouds coming over the top of a mountain. He said ‘bugger’. “We told him to be careful and urged him to come down. The last time we heard from him was Tuesday. He told us he had fallen and couldn’t move. That’s all we’ve had since. The search party have found a tent and his car. We’re obviously very worried and extremely concerned for his welfare.” The grandfather of one has been described as an avid and experienced walker. His wife and one of his four daughters have been at his last known location since Wednesday morning. Rachel Doherty is also now heading to France to join the search party. According to his family, the retired doctor was a respected consultant of tropical medicine who worked around the world and specialised in malaria. Since retiring almost a decade ago, he has spent most of his time in France. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has been approached for comment. Clare Carlile, a friend of one of Doherty’s daughters, posted a missing person’s appeal on the climbing and mountaineering website UKClimbing on Tuesday evening. She said: “My friend’s dad has gone missing in the French Pyrenees. Does anyone know where this image is from to try and help locate him? He sent a message at 4pm this afternoon saying he had fallen while hiking and could not move. We have not been able to get in contact with him since. “He is likely to be in/close to Ariège, in the Occitanie region. His last known location was Étang du Comté, where we have located an image from Sunday. “The image shared is from Saturday – we are trying to work out his direction of travel in case it gives some idea of where he may be now. He sent a message during the day saying he was ‘somewhere near Ax-Les-Thermes’. We are in contact with the British embassy for France, who are alerting the police.” The post also included images of Tom Doherty, and one of the last images he sent to his family, which could offer a clue to his location.