What we know about missing British man Benjamin Ross in Majorca
The 26-year-old, from Wigan, last contacted his mum, Felix Robinson, from the Spanish island on 10 July.
The mother of a British man who is missing in Majorca has travelled to the island to search for her son, according to reports.
Benjamin Ross, 26, from Wigan, last contacted his mum, Felix Robinson, from the Spanish island on 10 July when he sent her what she described as a “peculiar email”.
He had travelled to Palma in June to visit a friend and decided to extend his stay and move into a temporary rental after securing a sales job.
After not hearing from him for nearly two weeks, his mother reported him missing to Greater Manchester Police and the Foreign Office.
According to the Manchester Evening News, she has now flown to Majorca to carry out her own 'door to door' searches for her son and to meet with the British Consulate to find out what efforts are being made to trace him, though there had been speculation that she did not have a passport.
What we know
Ross, known as Ben, is from Golborne, Wigan,
He had travelled to Majorca in June to visit a friend after struggling with his mental health in the UK and decided to extend his stay after finding a job with a local energy company.
Robinson said they had been trying to arrange a bank transfer for Ross to support himself financially after he had his phone, passport, keys and wallet stolen while he was going for a swim at the beach on 6 July.
She added that after reporting the incident to the police, Ross left the station in the early hours of 7 July.
Robinson said he then had a disagreement with his flatmates and was asked to leave, and she believes that this, along with the loss of his belongings, has significantly impacted his mental health.
Robinson, who described her son as a "lovely lad", told the Liverpool Echo: "He seemed to have gotten everything together but a series of unfortunate events have led him to having a breakdown.”
She added: “He started having these issues a couple of years ago and it affected his studies. He was getting ready for his pupillage as he trained to be a barrister but we don't know how it all started."
Robinson has asked anyone with information about her son’s whereabouts to report it.
She said: “Like any mother, no matter what age your children are, they are still your children. I just need to know my son is safe and well. The last few days have been torture. Please, if anyone has seen Ben, even if it’s just for a second, let the authorities know. We need to find him."
Click below to see the latest North West headlines
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are supporting the family of a British man reported missing in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities."
Robinson said she has also been in contact with LBT Global, the overseas charity supporting Jay Slater's family after the 19-year-old’s body was found in Tenerife.
She has now reportedly flown to Majorca, landing on Saturday (20 July) to begin 'door to door' and 'on the ground' searches for her son. Her friend Carla Speight told the Manchester Evening News that Felix was also set to meet with the British Consulate.
A fundraiser with a £5,000 target has been set up for Ross's family - with over £2,500 raised so far. According to the organiser donations raised will pay towards the cost of flights, accommodation and expenses for Ben's mum, with anything not used donated to Andy's Man Club – a men's mental health support charity.
Local police in Majorca have reportedly confirmed they have been made aware of Ross's disappearance, with a statement from the National Police in Majorca saying: “We are aware of this disappearance and work is being done to try to locate this man."
Greater Manchester Police have also issued a statement, telling the Manchester Evening News: “On Saturday 13 July 2024 we received a report that a 26-year-old man from Wigan had travelled to Spain and stopped contact with his friends and family. We informed them that they should contact the British Consulate who would be able to assist them in the search for their loved one abroad."
The force added that on 17 July it had helped the family submit a report to Interpol to allow the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to act on their behalf in Spain.
What we don't know
Ross’s whereabouts since 10 July, when his flatmates allegedly asked him to leave his accommodation, remain unclear.
British Consulate staff have checked with local police stations and hospitals for any signs of Ross but haven't found anything yet, according to family friend Carla Speight who shared the update with Express.co.uk.
