The mysterious case of a doctor who disappeared after setting out for a in Eryri (formerly Snowdonia) has finally been solved. Psychiatrist Shayne Eves Colaco, 33, was about to start a new job when he went alone in the summer of 2012.

He was declared dead by a coroner in 2018 but 12 years after he vanished his mystery was only resolved by another tragedy when on January 9, 2024, David Brookfield, 65, of Skelmersdale, Lancashire, also went missing while walking alone in the Carneddau mountains in . During a routine exercise, a helicopter crew spotted a blue jacket in the Ogwen Valley, which led to mountain rescue volunteers making a discovery that finally shed light on what had happened to Shayne.

So what happened to him?

In 2012, the promising psychiatrist had travelled from Stoke-on-Trent and left his Fiat Seicento near Ogwen Cottage before walking towards the towering Pen yr Ole Wen, which stands 3,209ft tall, reports .

Despite numerous "cold case" reviews by Staffordshire Police Shayne's disappearance remained a mystery and he was declared dead six years later.

In 2018 Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said at the time it was 'puzzling' that nothing had been recovered, said he believed Dr Colaco died on August 4, 2012 and recorded an open conclusion.

Mr Pritchard Jones added: "There's no body here. Therefore I can't record a cause of death. I hate inquests where we can't produce an answer. Unfortunately the evidence isn't here in this case."

Caernarfon Coroner's Court heard he was an experienced hill walker. He had planned his route to Pen yr Ole Wen in advance but was reported missing when he failed to return home on August 6, 2012.

Alistair Read, of Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team, told the inquest: "The area is very popular with members of the public. Pen yr Ole Wen has a very steep and loose path. That doesn't stop people going."

Mr Read said searching a couple of locations would be a "significant challenge".

Although one of the smaller peaks, Tryfan is one of the most recognisable mountains in North Wales with its summit topped by two stone pillars called Adam and Eve. Many climbers observe a risky 200-year-old tradition of jumping between the two to gain the 'freedom of Tryfan'.

The leap is made more dangerous by its east face plunging hundreds of feet beneath them.

Hundreds of posters featuring Shayne's picture were printed but to no avail but volunteers who regularly went walking in the area continued to keep an eye out for any clues.

The shocking 2024 discovery:

The case remained unsolved until a series of remarkable coincidences unfolded following another tragic incident 12 years later.

On January 9, 2024, David Brookfield, 65, from Skelmersdale, Lancashire, also vanished while walking alone in the Carneddau mountains in the Snowdonia National Park.

A massive search operation was launched involving mountain rescuers, a coastguard helicopter, drones, and dogs but it initially yielded no results.

However, in a surprising turn of events, the search for David led to the discovery of Shayne's remains, finally bringing closure to the mystery of his disappearance. Four months on, on May 10, 2024, a blue jacket was spotted in the mountain range's Ogwen Valley by a coastguard helicopter crew.

The discovery was purely fortuitous as they were conducting a routine training exercise.

It is believed that David, while descending from the summit of Pen yr Ole Wen, entered the wide mouth of a gully where he fell and sustained serious injuries. When his body and belongings were being recovered mountain rescue volunteers stumbled upon something that would finally illuminate what had happened to Shayne.

Sgt Paul Terry, of the North Wales Police drone unit, recounted the sequence of events. "While we were carrying out the investigation process into David's death a mountain rescue team member found a jacket about five metres further down the gully," he said.

"The jacket didn't seem to fit with the picture of what we were investigating. It was an older jacket, one that seemed to have been there for some time, and inside the pocket was a car key.

"Deep in the memory of this rescue team was Shayne Colaco who had gone missing in the same area 12 years earlier."

Sgt Terry began investigating what Shayne had been wearing and what car he had been driving at the time he went missing.

He said: "I was quite amazed to find that the jacket was very similar to the one Shayne was wearing the day he went missing. Following further investigations we managed to confirm the key in the pocket was the key to Shayne's car - a Fiat Seicento.

"Suddenly we realised we may have a clue as to where he may have been all this time."

After Shayne's possessions were found, a specialist mountain rescue drone operator conducted additional searches on Pen yr Ole Wen to locate his remains.

Sgt Terry continued: "As the drone pilot stood in the spot where we had recovered David something quite incredible happened.

"He spotted a piece of fabric under some brush and the debris that had washed down the gully and, quite incredibly, realised that he had also found the remains of Shayne Colaco.

"What's really so amazing about this story is that so many of the people involved in searching for David had also been involved in the searches 12 years before for Shayne.

"One of the winchmen who located David from the helicopter was also part of RAF 22 Squadron looking for Shayne 12 years earlier.

"This brings so many people together around two really sad stories but it shows the amazing willingness and determination of volunteers and the emergency services to find both these men."

Sgt Terry said both men were experienced hikers who had prepared well but warned that "it's always possible that something will go wrong".

He said: "Eryri is an incredible place, it's beautiful, and on a good day the mountains look achievable and accessible. But it's important to understand the scale of these hills and the impact of weather - and how quickly it can change.

"In both these cases David and Shayne ended up in ground which really is very dangerous, which might have seemed inviting from the summit, but as it got steeper and more broken it became harder."