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Gareth Huntley: Jungle search stepped up for missing Brit Gareth Huntley: Jungle search stepped up for missing Briton
(about 3 hours later)
The Malaysian government has assured the UK it is using all available resources in the search for missing Briton Gareth Huntley. All available resources are being used in the search for missing British man Gareth Huntley, the Malaysian government has insisted.
Mr Huntley, of Cricklewood, north London, has not been seen since going trekking on Tioman Island on Tuesday. Mr Huntley, from London, has not been seen since going trekking on Tioman Island on Tuesday.
After initial criticism, his family have said they are now "hugely grateful" for the search response. The search involves 47 people, including police officers and rescue teams, authorities in Malaysia said.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, who is in Malaysia, raised the matter with his counterpart on Sunday. His family fear he may have fallen or been bitten by a snake. His girlfriend has gone to the island to help search.
Mr Hammond "was assured that the Malaysian authorities would do all they could to locate him and had already deployed significant assets", the Foreign Office said in a statement. Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond has been assured "all available search assets" are involved in the hunt, the British government says.
On his official Twitter feed, the Malaysian Defence Minister Hishamuddin Hussein said he was helping to find missing Mr Huntley and included a picture of him meeting Mr Hammond. Mr Huntley set off to visit a waterfall on the island, off the south eastern coast of the country's mainland, on Tuesday.
Mr Huntley had gone to Malaysia as a charity volunteer for the Juara Turtle Project. He told friends he would be back at the charity project where he was volunteering by 2pm, but failed to return.
He was going to see a waterfall in the jungle when he went missing. His family fear he may have fallen and broken his leg or been bitten by a snake. On Facebook, girlfriend Kit Natariga wrote that she felt "anxious" and "helpless".
His mother Janet Southwell, from Bradford, had written an open letter to Mr Cameron asking him to contact the Malaysian leader about the case. She is due on the island on Monday having left on Saturday afternoon. She added: "The Malaysian and British governments are being more proactive but the reality is he's still out there, vulnerable, hungry, thirsty, tired, scared, alone and running out of time.
Mr Huntley's girlfriend Kit Nataringa has now arrived on the island. "Absolutely crucial to act fast and continue to push the authorities and rescue teams."
On Facebook, she wrote: "Every glance into the jungle I'm reminded he's out there on his own for the sixth day. His mother Janet Southwell, from Bradford, is due on the island on Monday having left on Saturday afternoon.
"It makes me anxious and I feel so helpless. A local Foreign Office diplomat has also arrived to coordinate the rescue effort from the ground.
"The Malaysian and British governments are being more proactive but the reality is he's still out there, vulnerable, hungry, thirsty, tired, scared, alone and running out of time. Absolutely crucial to act fast and continue to push the authorities and rescue teams." Significant assets
The family have been critical of the search efforts, with Mr Huntley's brother Mark claiming police did not initially join the search and for days it was only his friends and local people who were looking for him. Mr Huntley's family had raised concerns about the rescue effort, but said on Sunday they were "hugely grateful" for the search response.
However, Malaysian police have rejected suggestions they did not take the search seriously. Mr Huntley's brother Mark had said police did not initially join the search and for days it was only his friends and local people who were looking for him.
A spokesman said the number of people looking for Mr Huntley had been increased to include 10 paramilitary operation commandos, five police officers, two dogs and a fire rescue team. A helicopter and patrol boats are also involved. Mr Hammond, who is in Malaysia, raised the matter with his counterpart on Sunday.
A local FCO diplomat has arrived to coordinate the rescue effort from the ground. He "was assured that the Malaysian authorities would do all they could to locate him and had already deployed significant assets", the Foreign Office said in a statement.
On Sunday, Mark Huntley said: "We're hugely grateful to Mr Cameron and Mr Hammond for their response and their assurances to support the local police with professional searchers who can ensure that GPS mapping and real coordination is available." On his official Twitter feed, the Malaysian Defence Minister Hishamuddin Hussein also said he was helping to find missing Mr Huntley.
The search had been limited by rain showers and restricted to the hours of daylight. On Sunday, Mark Huntley said: "We want to personally thank David Cameron and Philip Hammond for their reassurances. It is a very big positive for us.
"We are, of course, very grateful to the Malaysian people and the authorities for their work too. Everyone has been fantastic.
"We are told that local people went out to look for Gareth as soon as he was first described as missing - so without them there would not be a search mission.
"What we need now is for that work to continue and to find my brother."
BBC News correspondent Jennifer Pak, who is in Kuala Lumpur, said the area was a dense jungle.BBC News correspondent Jennifer Pak, who is in Kuala Lumpur, said the area was a dense jungle.
"It's extremely difficult because they've been experiencing rainfall every night, [and there is] more to come in the coming days," she said."It's extremely difficult because they've been experiencing rainfall every night, [and there is] more to come in the coming days," she said.
"Also the search has been limited to daylight hours so as soon as it gets dark at 19:00 local time (12:00 BST) it has to stop. "Also the search has been limited to daylight hours so as soon as it gets dark at 19:00 local time it has to stop.
"Even if the pathway he was using was well trodden, it's extremely wet, slippery, so it would have been very difficult.""Even if the pathway he was using was well trodden, it's extremely wet, slippery, so it would have been very difficult."
Earlier, Ms Nataringa spoke to BBC Breakfast.
When asked if it was out of character for Mr Huntley to go "off-track" during a trek, Ms Nataringa added: "He's adventurous but this is absolutely unusual for him because he's always in contact with somebody.
"He would never go trekking on his own with the intent of staying the night."