Several policemen from England, France and Ireland are helping Malaysian police in the investigation into the disappearance of a Franco-Irish teenager who went missing on Aug 4 from a holiday resort near here, it was disclosed yesterday.
Negri Sembilan Police deputy chief SAC Che Zakaria Othman said the police teams came to Malaysia last week but he declined to reveal the date of their arrival and their number.
A total of 353 policemen and other security personnel have been mobilised in stages to look for Nora Anne Quoirin, 15, a child with learning disabilities, since her disappearance from The Dusun resort in Pantai, Seremban, a day after she came to Malaysia with her family for a holiday.
“The police teams (from England, France and Ireland) are only assisting us in the investigation into Nora Anne’s disappearance and are not involved in the search-and-rescue operation,” Che Zakaria told a press conference at the Pantai Police Station in Seremban.
He said the search-and-rescue operation is focused on Gunung Berembun where 176 personnel have fanned out over 12 km since 8.30am yesterday.
“We are continuing our search in the area over a 6 km radius,” he said, adding that the search-and-rescue team is up against various challenges, including the bad weather over the past few days.
Meanwhile, media personnel for the first time were invited to join the Search and Rescue (SAR) operation for Nora.
Nilai police chief Supt Mohd Nor Marzukee Besar extended the invitation via the whatApps application.
“Greetings… Media who want to cover Op SAR can wait at the foothill of Gunung Berembun,” he said in his brief message.
Before this, the media were only allowed to wait at a tent provided near the entrance of the resort where the girl went missing and also at the Pantai police station in Seremban.
Earlier reports:
Aug 11, SAR for Nora: Ops Team Gets Time Off for Aidiladha Prayers
Aug 10, SAR for Missing Irish Teen: Wet Weather Proves a Challenge for Search Teams
Aug 10, Nora Extremely Excited About Holiday in Malaysia
Aug 9, Missing Irish Teen: CID Team Checks Phone Logs, Email Exchanges Made from Resort
Aug 9, Footprints Believed to Be That of Nora’s Found
Aug 8, Police: Only Exit Used in Missing Irish Teen Case Was Glass Window
Aug 8, Police to Use Mum’s Voice to Draw out Missing Irish Teen in Day 5 of SAR
Aug 8, Quoirin Family Incensed at Media’s Overture
Aug 8, Crowdfund for Missing Irish Teen Hits £50,000 Target
Aug 7, Police Insist Missing Irish Teen Still in Jungle, but Orang Asli Community Claim Otherwise
Aug 7, Family Insists Irish Teen Was Taken
Aug 7, Search and Rescue for Irish Teen Extended to Surrounding Hills and Creeks
Aug 7, Stepping Up Searching for MissingIrish Teen
Aug 6, Search for Missing Irish Teen GoesDown to River
Aug 5, Negeri Sembilan Police in StatewideSearch for Missing 15-Year-Old Special Needs Irish Girl