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Missing Corrie Mckeague: Mother prays he is found quickly | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The mother of missing airman Corrie Mckeague has said new evidence linking a bin lorry to his disappearance can "only mean one thing". | |
The refuse vehicle, which was seized shortly after the RAF gunner vanished from Bury St Edmunds, was carrying a significantly heavier load than first thought, police said. | |
It was initially deemed too light to have contained a body. | |
The finding emerged as police began a search of a landfill site. | |
Mr Mckeague, from Dunfermline, Fife, was last seen on a night out on 24 September. | |
'Devastating' | |
The lorry, which picked up bins in the area of the last sighting, took a route which appeared to coincide with signals from Mr Mckeague's mobile phone, Suffolk Police said. | |
Early investigations found the rubbish truck was carrying 11kg (1st 10lb), but detectives have since learned it was more than 100kg (15st 10lb) - "far higher than originally thought". | |
Mr Mckeague's mother, Nicola Urquhart, reacted to the news on Facebook, saying: "This can really, devastatingly, only mean one thing. | Mr Mckeague's mother, Nicola Urquhart, reacted to the news on Facebook, saying: "This can really, devastatingly, only mean one thing. |
"I can only pray that Corrie is found quickly and that we are able to get answers as to how this could have happened." | "I can only pray that Corrie is found quickly and that we are able to get answers as to how this could have happened." |
She told BBC Scotland: "It's incredibly difficult, we're taking it one day at a time, just waiting for the phone to ring. | She told BBC Scotland: "It's incredibly difficult, we're taking it one day at a time, just waiting for the phone to ring. |
"My whole focus has been on trying to get this avenue investigated." | "My whole focus has been on trying to get this avenue investigated." |
Mr Mckeague's family had campaigned for the landfill, in Milton, Cambridgeshire, to be examined earlier in the investigation. | |
'Huge undertaking' | |
A search, which is expected to take up to 10 weeks, began on Monday after 8,000 tonnes of material was moved to make the site safe. | |
Det Supt Katie Elliott said the search was a "huge undertaking" which "still may not provide the answer as to what happened". | |
"But now, with new information uncovered by the officers working on the case, this is the priority," she said. | |
The dispute over the weight of the bin lorry - which led to the arrest of a 26-year-old man - was the result of a "genuine mistake", Det Supt Elliott said. | |
"The investigation has identified that the company who provided the data usually charge per collection, not per weight of load collected, and it appears that it was genuinely believed by the company that the data provided was correct. | |
The arrested man was held on suspicion of perverting the course of justice but has since been told no further action will be taken. | |
"There was no intention to mislead the investigation. However, our discovery... now puts a new emphasis on the search," Det Supt Elliott said. | |
Mr Mckeague is a gunner in No 2 Sqn, RAF Regiment, and was based at Honington. | |
His mother has described him as "gregarious", "funny" and someone who "loves to be the centre of attention". | |
In January it was announced that Mr Mckeague's girlfriend, April Oliver, is pregnant with their child. | In January it was announced that Mr Mckeague's girlfriend, April Oliver, is pregnant with their child. |