Kate Middleton's brother James Middleton has made an emotional plea to his fans, sharing what he describes as his "worst nightmare".
James is known for his love of dogs and has previously spoken about his late dog Ella, who provided him comfort during some of the most challenging periods in his life. His love for animals was once again evident in a heartfelt message he posted on Instagram.
He informed his 345,000 followers about a man named Ramon Alberto Piriz, who was journeying from Argentina to Morocco with his friend's dog, Sombra. Due to Air France's cabin restrictions, Sombra had to travel in the cargo hold and tragically went missing during a stopover in Paris.
A petition has been started by Ramon's friend to locate Sombra, a cause that deeply moved James. He shared the petition on his Instagram story, urging his followers to sign it and expressing: "This is so sad. As someone who travels regularly this is my worst nightmare."
He also tagged the airline and reminded everyone that Monday is International Dog Day. The petition says that since Sombra vanished, her owner Cruz Novillo Astrada hasn't had a "meaningful update" from AirFrance, plunging him into a "state of profound distress".
Cruz's friend Anastasia Saravia wrote on the Change.org petition: "We believe that every passenger, whether human or animal, deserves the highest standard of care when traveling. Sombra's disappearance is not just a heartbreaking incident; it is a failure of the airline to fulfill its duty of care."
The demand is for AirFrance to hand over "any footage, records, or communications that may shed light on what happened". The petition urges the airline to conduct an investigation into the mishap and "make their findings public".
Additional screenshots appear to show the airline offering empathy for the loss and assurances they are searching for his dog: "We do not have words to express how sorry we are, our team is doing everything to bring your dog safe and sound to you," and further mention that they would rebook Ramon's flight without any extra charges. The Mirror US has approached AirFrance for comment.
