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| Divers and military join search for missing British boy on French island | Divers and military join search for missing British boy on French island |
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| Specialist divers, the military and police have been drafted in to join the search for a British schoolboy who disappeared on a French holiday island on Saturday. | Specialist divers, the military and police have been drafted in to join the search for a British schoolboy who disappeared on a French holiday island on Saturday. |
| Hopes that the child would be found alive were fading on the island of Porquerolles, in the south of France, after the boy's damaged bike and one of his shoes was found on a coastal path. | Hopes that the child would be found alive were fading on the island of Porquerolles, in the south of France, after the boy's damaged bike and one of his shoes was found on a coastal path. |
| Pierre Barnes went on a solo bike ride soon after his family arrived on the island for a week's half-term holiday on Saturday and his parents raised the alarm after he failed to return by 9pm that night. Since then a vast rescue operation has combed the sleepy island, with local volunteers joining the emergency services and military in an attempt to find him alive. | Pierre Barnes went on a solo bike ride soon after his family arrived on the island for a week's half-term holiday on Saturday and his parents raised the alarm after he failed to return by 9pm that night. Since then a vast rescue operation has combed the sleepy island, with local volunteers joining the emergency services and military in an attempt to find him alive. |
| More than 150 people have been enlisted into the search party that now includes divers around the coast of the island, which was whipped by gale-force winds and torrential rain during storms at the weekend. | More than 150 people have been enlisted into the search party that now includes divers around the coast of the island, which was whipped by gale-force winds and torrential rain during storms at the weekend. |
| Police said on Tuesday the search areas around the island had been extended as more people arrived to join the rescue operation, including specialist divers and almost 70 military personnel. Paul Mourier, the local prefect, said there was "always hope" that Pierre might be found but said no one had seen the 12-year-old since his disappearance. | Police said on Tuesday the search areas around the island had been extended as more people arrived to join the rescue operation, including specialist divers and almost 70 military personnel. Paul Mourier, the local prefect, said there was "always hope" that Pierre might be found but said no one had seen the 12-year-old since his disappearance. |
| "The island is being scoured and no sector is being ignored," he said. "The bike and the shoe belonged to Pierre but have not given us any serious lead. We remain hopeful of finding him despite his worrying disappearance." | "The island is being scoured and no sector is being ignored," he said. "The bike and the shoe belonged to Pierre but have not given us any serious lead. We remain hopeful of finding him despite his worrying disappearance." |
| Asked if there was hope of Pierre still being alive, the prefect said it was possible, adding that boys of his age were resilient and capable of resisting cold conditions. The boy's parents, Stephen Barnes, 57, and his French wife, Florence, 43, are helping in the search, while their three other children, aged 17, 15 and 13, are being supported by counsellors and trained psychologists on the island. | Asked if there was hope of Pierre still being alive, the prefect said it was possible, adding that boys of his age were resilient and capable of resisting cold conditions. The boy's parents, Stephen Barnes, 57, and his French wife, Florence, 43, are helping in the search, while their three other children, aged 17, 15 and 13, are being supported by counsellors and trained psychologists on the island. |
| A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said it was in touch with the French authorities and offering support to the family. | A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said it was in touch with the French authorities and offering support to the family. |
| Over the weekend Stephen Barnes, the head of a property company, told French television of his hope that his son was still alive. "I am certain he went off on an adventure on his bicycle but in the forest all the little tracks look the same," he said. "He is lost but he is a strong boy and I hope he found a place to sleep where there was not too much wind. It's difficult to say what you can do when you are cold and frightened." | Over the weekend Stephen Barnes, the head of a property company, told French television of his hope that his son was still alive. "I am certain he went off on an adventure on his bicycle but in the forest all the little tracks look the same," he said. "He is lost but he is a strong boy and I hope he found a place to sleep where there was not too much wind. It's difficult to say what you can do when you are cold and frightened." |
| The family hired bikes at about 2pm on Saturday after arriving for a week's holiday, and Pierre set off about four hours later. When he had not returned by 9pm his parents raised the alarm and a large-scale search was launched, including two helicopters, dinghies and sniffer dogs. About 20 military personnel joined the search, alongside national park rangers and customs officials. | The family hired bikes at about 2pm on Saturday after arriving for a week's holiday, and Pierre set off about four hours later. When he had not returned by 9pm his parents raised the alarm and a large-scale search was launched, including two helicopters, dinghies and sniffer dogs. About 20 military personnel joined the search, alongside national park rangers and customs officials. |
| Locals said the tracks and paths could be very narrow and in some places were close to the cliffs, but it was the first time a child had gone missing on the island. | Locals said the tracks and paths could be very narrow and in some places were close to the cliffs, but it was the first time a child had gone missing on the island. |
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