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Londoner Gareth Huntley missing in Malaysia jungle | Londoner Gareth Huntley missing in Malaysia jungle |
(about 7 hours later) | |
A rescue team has arrived in the Malaysian jungle to try and find a charity volunteer from east London who has been missing for four days. | |
Gareth Huntley, from Hackney, disappeared on Tuesday after embarking on a waterfall trek in Tioman Island. | |
Local people have said that a team of about 20 people and a dog arrived on Saturday to try and find him. | |
His mother Janet Southwell told the BBC that the co-ordinated police effort to find him was a little slow. | |
While his brother Mark Huntley told BBC 5 live's Stephen Nolan programme that for days it had only been local people and Gareth's friends who were searching for him. | |
The 30-year-old web developer from Leeds added that he wanted British authorities to "put more pressure on the Malaysian police force and search and rescue to do more to intensify the search". | |
'Concerned and anxious' | 'Concerned and anxious' |
He said his 34-year-old brother's disappearance was out of character and he would normally be good at keeping in touch. | He said his 34-year-old brother's disappearance was out of character and he would normally be good at keeping in touch. |
"For him to not turn up and still be missing at this point - he is not like that, he would have made contact by now," he added. | "For him to not turn up and still be missing at this point - he is not like that, he would have made contact by now," he added. |
His parents are due to fly out to Malaysia later, and they hope to arrive at the scene by Monday. | |
Ms Southwell said: "He was having a lovely time. He was due to start a new job next week in Singapore, life was very positive and he decided to have one last week's break before going back to Singapore to commence his new life." | |
She said he should have been back from his trek within two hours and that he was prepared as he had water and proper footwear on. He had a phone but there is no signal in the area. | |
"At this stage I feel it is essential that the search be intensified as time is running out for Gareth, so I would really appreciate the support of the Malaysian authorities and the UK government with this," said Ms Southwell. | "At this stage I feel it is essential that the search be intensified as time is running out for Gareth, so I would really appreciate the support of the Malaysian authorities and the UK government with this," said Ms Southwell. |
Mr Huntley had been working at the Jura Turtle Project. Fellow volunteer Charles Fisher said a group had gone to search for him after he did not return from the "huge wilderness". | Mr Huntley had been working at the Jura Turtle Project. Fellow volunteer Charles Fisher said a group had gone to search for him after he did not return from the "huge wilderness". |
He said the group had checked various routes to the waterfall, 6km (3.7 miles) away, while a further search the next day had also proved fruitless. | |
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware that a British national has been reported missing in Malaysia since 27 May. | A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware that a British national has been reported missing in Malaysia since 27 May. |
"We are providing consular assistance to the family and are liaising closely with the local authorities." | "We are providing consular assistance to the family and are liaising closely with the local authorities." |