In short:
Australian executive Colin Bettles, who mysteriously disappeared four days ago, has been found in an intensive care unit in San Francisco.
The Grain Producers Australia chief and former Nationals adviser was in the US for a work trip when the incident occurred.
What’s next?
A colleague has questioned the local police’s claim the man was not a victim of a crime.
An Australian executive has severe head injuries and is in a US hospital after a mysterious disappearance on a work trip.
Grain Producers Australia (GPA) chief executive Colin Bettles, a former Nationals Party adviser and journalist, was found unconscious earlier this week on a San Francisco street, taken to hospital and put in an induced coma for four days.
He was reported missing by his partner, Sue Acton, after he failed to catch a flight on Friday, July 5, and his luggage and car were located at the hotel where he was staying.
Ms Acton reached out to Mr Bettles’s former boss, and former deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack to help find him.
“I started to get the ball rolling with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with (Foreign Minister) Penny Wong, with the Australian Federal Police,” Mr McCormack told the ABC.
He said Australian consular officials combed “hospital to hospital, ward to ward” throughout the city until they located him.
He was found in a San Francisco hospital in an induced coma.
Mr Bettles was on a stop-over in the US city before joining an Australian delegation meeting with Canadian government officials and other groups.
He is now out of his coma and sitting up in bed, but is suffering from a broken eye socket and a “bad gash” down the back of his head that required stitches.
In a statement, the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) said there “were no reports of Bettles being reported as a victim of any crime”.
Friends question police investigation
GPA board member Andrew Weidemann said SFPD reported “he tripped and fell, but you don’t get cranial injuries on both the back and front of your head from a fall, generally.”
Mr McCormack also questioned this.
“He’s obviously been assaulted. There’s probably no question in that … we’re trying to narrow down the time possibly to get any CCTV footage and work with police over there,” he said.
“I think they realise now that this is more than just … Colin falling over.”
Mr Bettles was not found to have any alcohol in his system, Mr McCormack said, but can’t yet recall any details about what happened to him.
“He’s not in the best state at the moment, but he’s coming around,” he said.
The US embassy, and its ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy, have been in contact with the former Nationals leader and Riverina MP.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the ABC it was providing consular assistance to Mr Bettles.
‘Genuinely loved’
GPA board member Andrew Weidemann said Mr Bettles was a much-loved member for his organisation, and as a former Fairfax journalist also well-known in the agriculture industry and Canberra political circles.
“It’s been pretty traumatic for everybody here in Australia being so far away,” he said.
“We’re just hopeful that we can get our Colin back at some point. And there’s no serious injuries to him, long term,” he said.
“He’s genuinely loved for the work he does for agriculture here in Australia.
“But it’s very raw at the moment … there’s still so much unknown.
“And we’re still trying to piece together the facts of how he ended up where he did.”
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