The police in St. Tropez, Cavalière, Grimaud and St. Maxime organised search parties. Members of the fire brigade also helped to search the woods and the best police dog in the region called, "Drole IV", was sent to assist. Two helicopter teams searched the coast from dusk till dawn. But it was all for nothing. Nobody could find anything.
All hope of finding the missing woman had dissipated up by Friday. The search parties were officially called off. It was at that moment that Maria, who had read the story in the papers, offered to help. She only asked a few things: the date of birth of the missing woman, a recent photo of her and a map of the area. The police, as well as the dentist, were sceptical. Nevertheless, they gave her all she needed.
After Maria had determined the star sign of the woman she opened up the map, lay the photo on top of it and took out her hanging lamp. She held this directly above the map and the hanging lamp began to move back and forth. Then the hanging lamp began to spin in ever decreasing circles above a specific place, not far from Gassin.The police shrugged their shoulders. The dentist decided to take a chance. The rescue services' helicopters had already returned to their bases. He hired a helicopter himself.The young woman was found in the exact place that the hanging lamp had indicated. She lay under fir trees wounded and unconscious. She had lay there for three days and nights without anything to eat or drink and without being able to move. She hadn't even been able to wave to the helicopters that had flown over her. If Maria hadn't done anything the young woman would have died of starvation and distress.
