The 17-year-old was set to fly from Toulouse in southern France to the UK for an emotional meeting with Susan Caruana, 68, the boy's legal guardian.
Alex was 11 when he disappeared with mother Melanie and grandfather David while on a holiday in September 2017.
An international search was triggered when he failed to return. Ms Caruana believed her ex-partner and daughter had run away because they wanted the boy to have an "alternative lifestyle".
Alex was finally found when a delivery driver offered him a lift. He was walking in the rain carrying a bag, torch, skateboard and 100 Euros near Toulouse in the early hours of Wednesday.
For the past two years he had been living with his grandfather in a remote farmhouse near Quillan, a town nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees.
Yesterday, it emerged Alex had tried to enrol in a local school last month, but French authorities missed the chance to return him sooner.
Bu hikaye Sunday Express dergisinin December 17, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Sunday Express dergisinin December 17, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Brownhill brilliant for Parker's men
SKIPPER Josh Brownhill's insatiable appetite for goals made it nine unbeaten games on the spin for Scrooge-like Burnley.
Japan favours 39 authentic flavours of UK
A TRADING breakthrough means much of Britain's best-loved food and drink could soon appear more often on menus in Japan.
Alarm over 'epidemic of loneliness'
FEELING lonely at Christmas could affect around 32 million people, research suggests.
Great War airfield can reach for skies once more
THE best preserved First World War airfield has secured its future for another year thanks to the generosity of the public.
Sir Elton won't let the sun go down on writing new songs
SIR ELTON John has revealed he is working on new songs despite having quit touring and suffering a severe infection that has left him unable to see out of his right eye.
World Cup hero George dies
TRIBUTES have flooded in for George Eastham, a member of England's winning 1966 World Cup squad whose death was announced yesterday.
Should I quit while I'm ahead, ponders Lesley as 70th looms
SOPRANO Lesley Garrett has revealed her impending 70th birthday has made her think about quitting singing.
French truckers' threat over checks for migrants
SURLY French lorry drivers have threatened to block goods from entering the UK unless checks to stop migrants arriving become more lenient.
Biden could save 40 from death row
PRESIDENT Joe Biden is considering commuting the death sentences of most - if not all of the 40 prisoners awaiting execution in US federal jails, it has been revealed.
'Time to come clean on mystery drones'
DONALD Trump has urged President Joe Biden to explain thousands of sightings of mysterious, SUV-sized drones reported across at least five US states.
