Epileptic Romanian Citizen Missing For 12 Days In Greece

Romanian television station PRO TV reported Thursday the disappearance of Romanian citizen Ioan Florin Manui, aged 35, who went missing while he was on vacation in Katerini together with his mother and his wife. According to the quoted source, Manui was hospitalized when he got sick, but the next morning, when relatives came to see him, he was missing.

"A missing person bulletin was issued throughout the entire Greece. Relatives have not given up the search either. They extended their stay and handed out posters throughout the Olimpic beach resort," PRO TV reported.

The Romanian General Consul in Salonika, Dumitru Hrituleac, told MEDIAFAX Friday that the Manui family notified the General Consulate on August 25, the day they found the man was missing. On the same day, the Consulate notified local police who already knew of the disappearance from the hospital staff. According to data obtained ofrom the hospital by the Consulate, Ioan Florin Manui was brought to the hospital by ambulance on the evening of August 24. He had gotten sick as soon as he arrived on vacation, in Greece. The man suffered from epilepsy and, according to doctors, he was not on medication and was drinking alcohol.

According to the quoted source, doctors sedated him and at night, around 24.00 local time, the family left the hospital heading for the hotel. Later, during the night, the man had a new seizure, and became violent. It seems that he fell out of bed and hit his head. He required several stitches and doctors decided to move him to a single bed room. In the morning, he was nowhere to be found. Manui’s brother claims doctors tied Manui’s hands, but he managed to loosen the ties and flee. On the other hand, the Katerini hospital stated the man managed to take out the bars in the window of his room, and left through the window, Hrituleac added.

For 48 hours Ioan Florin Manui was sought in northern Greece. Later, his case was widened for the entire Greece.

Hrituleac said he also contacted the Interior Minister attaché in Athens, as well as the Interpol office in Greece. Currently there are no clues pointing to the whereabouts of the man. Manui did not have any money or documents on him.

Accoridng to the quoted source, the family wished to unfold an investigation on their own. They took a taxi through Katerini and asked the consular staff to tell the driver what they wanted, as he did not speak any other language but Greek. The driver directed the family to a Romanian speaking colleague, who helped the search. Finally, in the Katerini train station, the family learned that the Manui tried to board a train to Europe. In addition, the inhabitants of a local Rroma camp claimed they saw him.

Hrituleac said he remains in contact with Greek authorities, and as soon as he knows more in the matter he will inform the family and the Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry.