Costa Rica News – Michael Dixon walked out of his hotel in the seaside town of Tamarindo on the evening of October, 18, 2009, and never came back.
The family of an experienced traveler who vanished in Costa Rica five years ago today have blasted the Government for ‘not caring’ about their plight.
Michael Dixon walked out of his hotel in the seaside town of Tamarindo on the evening of October, 18, 2009, and never came back.
His younger brother David, mum Lynn and dad Hubert have been relentless in their quest for answers but, half a decade on, they still do not have any.
David traveled to Costa Rica himself to find out how Michael vanished and believes his Salford-born brother was a victim of crime.
But he said the Costa Rican and British authorities have ‘done nothing’ to properly investigate the disappearance, despite the family’s appeals to former President of the central American country, Laura Chinchilla, and Prime Minister David Cameron.
David said: “The British Foreign Office used to send us a monthly, then a quarterly update on the case. But now we don’t even get these any more.
“Britain has one of the biggest consular and diplomatic services in the world. Its duty is to protect British citizens. But in reality, unless there is a media outcry, the machine doesn’t care.”
Michael, who worked as the editor of a pulp and paper magazine in Brussels, Belgium, was 33 when he disappeared and was last seen leaving the Villas Macondo hotel in Tamarindo.
The hotel’s staff became worried when he had not returned after three days so notified the local police and the British Embassy.
Michael’s family were not informed and did not find out until he had gone missing until he failed to show up for work a week later as planned.
When police finally inspected his hotel room, his belongings, including his mobile, wallet, camera and suitcase, were all there as he left them.
Michael’s mother, Lynn Dixon, from Bolton, said the family ‘will never have peace’ until they know what happened to Michael.
She added: “Our only hope is that someone comes forward with information.
“I know it’s been a long time. But Tamarindo is so small that someone must have seen something. If they’re afraid to come forward, we promise that they will be treated in strict confidence.”
The Foreign Office did not respond to a request for a comment.
By Dan Thompson, manchestereveningnews.co.uk
