UPDATE: DNA Test Confirm Body found in Tioman is of Missing British Citizen
The hunt for missing British citizen Gareth Huntley continues as a team of 33 commandos, police personnel, and Rela and Fire and Rescue department officials narrow down their search to a three-kilometre radius area, on the northeast of the Lubuk Teja waterfall.
The team departed on their search yesterday morning, and will probably spend the night searching two-map squares of the jungle.
“We have some clues that he might be in this area. So we are only going to focus our search on these two-map squares today,” said Rompin OCPD Deputy Supt Johari Yahaya, who did not elaborate on the clues.
According to Yahaya, the two-map squares; 1.5km in size each, were 10km away from the Lubuk Teja waterfall. He also said that so far, this has been the longest and toughest search for a missing person on the island.
As of today (4th June), rescuers are retracing their steps and deploying tracker dogs to assist in the search, around the Lubuk Teja waterfall area and the nearby hydro dam. Yesterday, a foot trail believed to belong to Huntley was found near the dam. According to Pahang Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Morni Mamat, the foot trail is believe to be at least two or three days old. From the foot trail, officials believe that there is a possibility Huntley may have trekked westward towards Gunung Kajang. That’s about 7.5km from the waterfall.
“The search party, which had camped the night in the narrowed search area northeast of the waterfall, will head to Gunung Kajang and expect to arrive there by evening, he said”
“We will also have teams from Kampung Mukut and Kampung Paya moving north and east, with Gunung Kajang as the rendezvous point for all teams.”
According to Rompin OCPD Deputy Supt Johari Yahaya, the wider search will run simultaneously with 96 officers and two helicopters.
“We are expecting 20 commandos from VAT 69 and 42 General Operations Force personnel to arrive this evening (Wednesday) to lend a hand in the search,” he said.
The 34 year-old Briton went missing on Tioman Island on the 27th of May, 2014. Huntley was said to be a volunteer at the Juara Turtle Sanctuary on Tioman Island. He arrived in Tioman on the 24th of May for the Juara Turtle project. On the 27th of May, Huntley reportedly went trekking to a waterfall in the jungle and never returned.
A relative has set up a Facebook page to help locate Huntley with pictures and information.
Story and quote from: The Star Online
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