MISSING FROM TENERIFE since 4 Aug 2022
Oliver Heise (23) disappeared on a solo backpacking holiday in Tenerife.
He was last seen on 4th August 2022, at Monte de Esperanza, Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
He is described as 1.85m tall with reddish brown hair and a full beard. He speaks with a German accent, was wearing a brown kaftan and a Palestinian-style scarf (brown and white), a red waist bag, Ray-Ban sunglasses, and carrying a blue camouflage backpack
Oliver, a chemical laboratory technician from the Diepholz district near Bremen, had travelled alone on a flight on 3rd Aug 2022 from Hanover to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria. An enthusiastic hiker, he had planned to explore the Canary Islands, equipped with a blue backpack, a sleeping mat and a compass.
He spent his first night in Gran Canaria, probably in a cave. The following day, he took a ferry to Tenerife. He posted a photo on social media from the Los Berros area in El Rosario, beneath Las Raíces recreational zone. At 4 p.m., Oliver sent a message to a friend. It was the last sign of life from the 23-year-old.
He was known for keeping in regular contact with his family. His sudden silence was particularly concerning.
Despite extensive search efforts by the Spanish National Police, including the use of canine units specialized in searching for biological remains, there has been no trace of Oliver Heise since his phone last pinged in the Güímar area on 5th August. The analysis of his mobile phone data shows that he could have travelled to the East Coast of Tenerife.
He was thought to be planning to travel by ferry from Tenerife to La Gomera, possibly exploring the hippie communities there.
The police appealed to the public for information, particularly from those familiar with local trails, shelters, or camping communities. Various media outlets and social media campaigns have been used to raise awareness of the disappearance. His family also launched an appeal and have been searching for Oliver ever since.
Police forces from both Tenerife in Spain and from Nienburg, in Germany tried to find witnesses that knew something about his disappearance.
On 18th August, Oliver’s brother, Lukas reported on Instagram that the family had gone to the airport in Hanover in the hope that the missing man had caught his planned flight home, but Oliver was not on board. Lukas appealed to the online community “Please do not stop spreading the news.”
A reported sighting on 20th August 2022, by a bar manager who saw someone matching Oliver’s description near Pico de las Flores, has not led to any further information.
The case was featured on the German TV program “Aktenzeichen XY…missing” to appeal for more information from the public. Chief Inspector Andrea Kempin emphasized in the program: “As long as we have no indications to the contrary, we assume that Oliver Heise is alive.” The police are hoping that the missing man is in seclusion on the Canary Islands. but as of the latest updates, and despite several “interesting tips” he remains a missing person.
If anyone has any information or would like to help, please contact us via email to enquiries@missingpersonstenerife.com, or call +34 822 130 739. All information treated in confidence.
The photos included here are from publicly available content.
This article copyright © 2024 Deborah Clarke-Topper
