'Missing' man of two years found after family spot him in background of video on social media

A man who was initially thought to be 'missing' has been found after appearing in a viral TikTok video.

Diego Londoño's family had apparently been looking for him for two years before a social media influencer decided to help out.

The musician, 41, reportedly went completely off the grid in Peru until a content creator received a glimmer of hope thanks to some footage.

When reporters mentioned they had spotted him in the nearby city of Màncora, Ecuadorian businesswoman Amy Solano headed to Chiclayo to look for Diego.

After her first day of searching for the philosopher looked to be going astray, she 'accidentally' managed to capture him on camera.

Amy uploaded the video on TikTok (@amysolanogutierrez) on 25 September, and the viral search was underway.

According to VT, police were able to locate Diego thanks to her video and handed him over to the custody of the Peruvian National Police (PNP).

His family were delighted after learning that he was safe and sound, but it turns out that he doesn't want to return to Colombia right away.

Diego was said to have told the National Police that he plans to travel from Chiclayo to Lima, in Peru.

Officials told RPP that he does not want to return to Colombia immediately.

"He himself said that he does not want to return to his country," they said, adding that he was not in danger in any way.

The outlet reports that Diego was taken in for one night and was able to communicate with his sisters, Olga, Martha and Lucía, on the phone.

"There is no complaint of disappearance. He spoke with his sisters and made it clear that he does not want to return to Colombia," cops said.

Although it is said he refused to take a psychological evaluation, they believe he was asymptomatic during his time at the station.

"He is a polyglot man who moves through different cities of the country, subsisting on the sale of handicrafts in bronze and copper," the officers noted, according to translations.

Diego is now focused on flying out to Lima but has been advised to reach out to his family now and again so they know that he is ok.

He told Éxito Noticias: "It's difficult for me to explain that I'm not like other people, but my family is there. [...] From here to Lima and from there back to Colombia.

"I need to work a little, I almost never have plans."