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Brussels attacks: 'Desperate' search for missing David Dixon | Brussels attacks: 'Desperate' search for missing David Dixon |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Friends of a computer programmer missing in Brussels since the bomb attacks in the Belgian capital have said they are desperate to find him. | |
David Dixon, from Nottingham, commutes on the city's metro - but did not arrive at work on Tuesday. | |
His friend Simon Hartley-Jones said Mr Dixon's partner, who also lives in Brussels, had been driving around hospitals in the hope of finding him. | His friend Simon Hartley-Jones said Mr Dixon's partner, who also lives in Brussels, had been driving around hospitals in the hope of finding him. |
He is thought to be the only Briton still missing since Tuesday's attacks. | |
Downing Street said four Britons were also injured in the blasts at the city's airport and metro, which left 34 people dead. | Downing Street said four Britons were also injured in the blasts at the city's airport and metro, which left 34 people dead. |
Mr Hartley-Jones said Mr Dixon and his partner Charlotte Sutcliffe, who have a seven-year-old son, had lived in Brussels for about 10 years but still had a house in Nottingham and came back regularly. | Mr Hartley-Jones said Mr Dixon and his partner Charlotte Sutcliffe, who have a seven-year-old son, had lived in Brussels for about 10 years but still had a house in Nottingham and came back regularly. |
More about the attacks | More about the attacks |
How the day unfolded | How the day unfolded |
What we know about the attacks so far | What we know about the attacks so far |
Airport security under the spotlight again | Airport security under the spotlight again |
Full coverage of the Brussels attacks | Full coverage of the Brussels attacks |
"David is a programmer and works in the centre of Brussels," said Mr Hartley-Jones. "He makes his way there every day using the metro system. | "David is a programmer and works in the centre of Brussels," said Mr Hartley-Jones. "He makes his way there every day using the metro system. |
"For some reason he hasn't made it... and we're really concerned about him. | "For some reason he hasn't made it... and we're really concerned about him. |
"It's really unusual for him not to contact [Charlotte] - it's really out of character." | "It's really unusual for him not to contact [Charlotte] - it's really out of character." |
Updates on this story and more from Nottinghamshire | Updates on this story and more from Nottinghamshire |
He described Mr Dixon, originally from Hartlepool, as "a lovely guy" and "an amazing man who deeply deeply loves his son". | He described Mr Dixon, originally from Hartlepool, as "a lovely guy" and "an amazing man who deeply deeply loves his son". |
The couple's son was staying with friends and was unaware his father was missing, he added. | |
"They still have a house in Mapperley [in Nottingham] which they come back to regularly, this is their home. | "They still have a house in Mapperley [in Nottingham] which they come back to regularly, this is their home. |
"They were supposed to come back this weekend, all the family were due back this weekend to spend Easter with us here, and we're missing them deeply." | "They were supposed to come back this weekend, all the family were due back this weekend to spend Easter with us here, and we're missing them deeply." |
Mr Hartley-Jones has appealed for anyone in Belgium who might know of Mr Dixon's whereabouts to get in touch. | Mr Hartley-Jones has appealed for anyone in Belgium who might know of Mr Dixon's whereabouts to get in touch. |
"Charlotte is just desperately looking for David and we need any information you can get," he said. | "Charlotte is just desperately looking for David and we need any information you can get," he said. |
"Please just check in hospitals in Brussels, just check that David is not one of your patients, and just let us know." | "Please just check in hospitals in Brussels, just check that David is not one of your patients, and just let us know." |
Ms Sutcliffe's sister, Marie, said they were hoping to hear from a hospital or police that he had perhaps been injured but was safe. | Ms Sutcliffe's sister, Marie, said they were hoping to hear from a hospital or police that he had perhaps been injured but was safe. |
"Not everybody has been identified yet among the injured, so it's just waiting for that process to happen," she said. | "Not everybody has been identified yet among the injured, so it's just waiting for that process to happen," she said. |
She plans to go out to Brussels to support her sister. "Understandably she's very, very distressed," she said. | She plans to go out to Brussels to support her sister. "Understandably she's very, very distressed," she said. |
'Fearing the worst' | |
"It's just waiting, which is heartbreaking and very worrying." | "It's just waiting, which is heartbreaking and very worrying." |
Mr Dixon's cousin, Philip Dixon, said his family was "fearing the worst". | Mr Dixon's cousin, Philip Dixon, said his family was "fearing the worst". |
"He takes the metro to work and unfortunately it's looking like he could have been on this metro train at the time of this bombing yesterday," he said. | "He takes the metro to work and unfortunately it's looking like he could have been on this metro train at the time of this bombing yesterday," he said. |
"Charlotte tried phoning his work and he didn't turn in for work yesterday morning so we are fearing the worst at the moment." | "Charlotte tried phoning his work and he didn't turn in for work yesterday morning so we are fearing the worst at the moment." |
Downing Street said four Britons were confirmed to have been injured in the twin blasts which hit Zaventem airport at about 07:00 GMT and Maelbeek metro station an hour later. | |
So-called Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the attacks. | So-called Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the attacks. |
A No 10 spokesman said: "We are concerned about one missing British national and we are in close contact with the Belgian authorities. | A No 10 spokesman said: "We are concerned about one missing British national and we are in close contact with the Belgian authorities. |
"We are aware of four British nationals who were injured in the attacks - three are being treated in hospital, one has already been discharged. | "We are aware of four British nationals who were injured in the attacks - three are being treated in hospital, one has already been discharged. |
"Our embassy staff are working to assist all British nationals affected." | "Our embassy staff are working to assist all British nationals affected." |
'Remains unaccounted' | |
Mr Dixon has been working as an IT contractor for securities settlement group Euroclear, which has an office a few metro stops away from the station that was attacked. | |
Tristan Peniston-Bird, a Euroclear spokesman, said: "We confirm that David Dixon is a contractor working for Euroclear in Brussels, who remains unaccounted for following yesterday's tragic events. | |
"We are in touch with his partner and continue to co-ordinate with the authorities in locating David. | |
"Our primary concern is the safety and protection of our people, and our thoughts go out to those affected by yesterday's attacks." |