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Gareth Huntley: Jungle search stepped up for missing Briton Gareth Huntley: Malaysia steps up missing Briton search
(35 minutes later)
All available resources are being used in the search for missing British man Gareth Huntley, the Malaysian government has insisted.All available resources are being used in the search for missing British man Gareth Huntley, the Malaysian government has insisted.
Mr Huntley, from London, has not been seen since going trekking on Tioman Island on Tuesday. Mr Huntley, 34, of Cricklewood, north London, has not been seen since going trekking on Tioman Island on Tuesday.
The search involves 47 people, including police officers and rescue teams, authorities in Malaysia said. The search for him involves 47 people, including police officers and rescue teams, authorities in Malaysia said.
His family fear he may have fallen or been bitten by a snake. His girlfriend has gone to the island to help search. His family fear he may have got lost or been injured. His girlfriend has gone to the island to help search.
Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond has been assured "all available search assets" are involved in the hunt, the British government says.Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond has been assured "all available search assets" are involved in the hunt, the British government says.
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 set off to visit a waterfall on the island, off the south eastern coast of the country's mainland, on Tuesday.
He told friends he would be back at the charity project where he was volunteering by 2pm, but failed to return.He told friends he would be back at the charity project where he was volunteering by 2pm, but failed to return.
On Facebook, girlfriend Kit Natariga wrote that she felt "anxious" and "helpless". Girlfriend Kit Natariga wrote on Facebook that it was "absolutely crucial to act fast and continue to push the authorities and rescue teams".
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. But she admitted time to find him was "running out".
"Absolutely crucial to act fast and continue to push the authorities and rescue teams." His mother Janet Southwell, from Bradford, has arrived in Singapore from England and is due on the island on Monday.
His mother Janet Southwell, from Bradford, is due on the island on Monday having left on Saturday afternoon. A local Foreign Office diplomat has also arrived to co-ordinate the rescue effort from the ground.
A local Foreign Office diplomat has also arrived to coordinate the rescue effort from the ground.
Significant assetsSignificant assets
Mr Huntley's family had raised concerns about the rescue effort, but said on Sunday they were "hugely grateful" for the search response. Mr Huntley's family had raised concerns about the rescue effort. His 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.
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. Ms Southwell also appealed directly to Prime Minister David Cameron to put pressure on the Malaysian government to step up the search.
Mr Hammond, who is in Malaysia, raised the matter with his counterpart on Sunday.Mr Hammond, who is in Malaysia, raised the matter with his counterpart on Sunday.
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.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 his official Twitter feed, the Malaysian Defence Minister Hishamuddin Hussein also said he was helping to find missing Mr Huntley.On his official Twitter feed, the Malaysian Defence Minister Hishamuddin Hussein also said he was helping to find missing Mr Huntley.
Waterfall trek
Steve Riches, who has attempted the trek to the waterfall, said: "It says two hours but once you get beyond the rubber tree hinterland, you enter the jungle proper and the path is not clearly marked.
"We crossed a very boulder-strewn river bed and then realised we were lost and with some difficulty, we retraced our steps until we hit the track.
"It is slippery and you can take a fall - I did - and we just played safe and came back to the start. Others say they did it ok."
He added: "Once you've headed off one of the few tracks, and are away from the rubber plantation strip, you really are in difficult virgin jungle with rattan palm that can rip your skin to pieces.
"It can be so dense that even a companion 15m (50ft) away cannot be heard.
"I saw a python, and there were vipers, and you get covered with bloodsucking leeches, but frankly the greatest dangers are not from nature but from falling or just being completely lost without water."
Limited 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.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, 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."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.""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 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."