PARIS — PARIS (AP) — A British teenager who went missing during a family vacation in Spain six years ago has been found in southwestern France, French media reported Thursday.
Broadcasters BFMTV and TF1 quoted the public prosecutor's office in Toulouse as saying that 17-year-old Alex Batty had been found.
BFMTV said a delivery driver spotted the teenager, who looked lost and haggard, on the side of the road and drove him to a police station. TF1 said he was found on Wednesday.
The Toulouse prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to questions emailed and texted by The Associated Press after hours.
In the United Kingdom, Greater Manchester Police said officers from Batty's hometown of Oldham were in contact with French authorities to establish the authenticity of the reports.
Police said his mother, Melanie Batty, and grandfather, David Batty, are wanted in connection with the teenager's disappearance and that their whereabouts are unknown. He accompanied her on the trip to Spain in 2017 when he was 11 years old.
“This is a complex and lengthy investigation and we need to carry out further investigations and take appropriate protective measures,” police said.
Copyright 2023 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.