Police have scaled down the search area for the missing Franco-Irish teenager Nora Anne Quoirin to a radius of 4km from where she was believed to have gone missing.
Negeri Sembilan police chief Mohamad Mat Yusop said police believed that the 15-year-old would not go far from the Dusun Resort in Pantai, where her family was staying. Nora was reported missing last Sunday morning.
The search entered its seventh day today.
Mohamad reiterated that the police would do their best in tracing her. “The SAR team will conduct a more detailed search and focus on steep areas, bushes and rock outcrops,” he said at a news conference.
The investigation covered a variety of angles, which included evidence from the taxi driver who had taken Nora Anne’s family to the resort. Residents in the area with previous criminal records have also been questioned.
So far, police have not had any evidence to link the incident to an abduction, he said.
Asked about the duration of the operation, Mohamed said so far, he had not set any time frame and stressed that it would depend on the circumstances and clues obtained.
Meanwhile, Mohamad said those involved in the operation would be given time off to perform Aidiladha prayers tomorrow.
The SAR operation involved 317 personnel today as compared to 261 yesterday.
Meanwhile, the local Orang Asli (indigenous people) community is willing to help find Nora using traditional methods based on their beliefs.
Tok Batin (headman) of Kampung Kolam Air Pantai, Ali Ngogor, however, said whether the effort would be successful or not was out of his control.
“We have not done the ceremony (for the search) yet but we will try according to our customs. But whether our efforts will be successful or not is in the hands of God…we can only try.
“As to the methods, I cannot go into details, they are secret…they (our people) will help out in the search together with the authorities,” he told reporters today.
He added that none of his people had come across the girl or found any leads as to her whereabouts.
“Day and night we have been looking for her with help from others but so far nothing (no leads),” he said.
Tok Batin of Kampung Ngoi Ngoi, Junus Jingin said his people were also willing to help find Nora.
“We sympathise with her family because we can understand the pain when a loved one goes missing. We will try to help using our own rituals,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lenggeng assemblyman Suhaimi Kassim urged the local Orang Asli to contact the authorities immediately if they find Nora.
Earlier reports:
Aug 10, In First Public Appearance, Nora’s Parents Say ‘Terima Kasih’ to Searchers
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