By Andrew Jarret

ONE WEEK on from the last confirmed sighting of Slovakian Ludo Gonda, Tayside Police officers were back at the cliffs at Arbroath on Saturday to try to glean more information that could help establish his whereabouts.

They were joined by around 20 of the missing 32-year-old’s friends and colleagues who spent some hours combing the beach and cliff area to try to find any clues.

Mr Gonda disappeared after going fishing near the area known as the Horseshoe some time on February 7, leaving his belongings, a bike and his fishing rod behind.

Officers went back to the location with a mobile incident unit on Saturday hoping to speak to people who might have been in the area seven days ago.

It is believed there were five young people sitting on benches, near to where Mr Gonda’s bike and fishing equipment were discovered. Officers are keen to speak to members of that group as they may have useful information.

A spokesman said, “They were seen there on Saturday evening, around the time that Mr Gonda’s belongings were spotted by a passer-by. There were three girls and two boys. All were thought to be in their mid-teens and it is possible that they were speaking in a foreign language.

“Tayside Police would ask them to come forward and, at the same time, wish to hear from anyone else who was at or near to the cliffs on Saturday, February 7.”

Ludo Gonda was officially reported missing to Tayside Police on Monday, February 9, by a relative who had seen the public appeals for information during the weekend.

He is described as 5ft 9in, slim, with short black hair and green eyes. He has a heart-woman skeletal design tattoo on his right upper arm and a scar on his stomach. When last seen he was wearing a bright red ski jacket, which has broad white stripes across the arms and neck area, blue jeans and black Nike trainers.

The inquiry team have established that Mr Gonda left his caravan at Woodlea Caravan Park about 4pm on February 6 and went to his work at a company based at Kirkton industrial estate.

After completing a nightshift, he cycled back to Woodlea Caravan Park with a friend and colleague, returning home between 6.30am and 6.45am on Saturday. He indicated that he might go fishing that day.

CCTV images are believed to show the Slovakian outside a shop on the morning he was last seen. They show a man fitting the description of the missing person outside Harbour Stores on the corner of John Street and High Street. It was captured shortly before 8am.

The store is a short distance from Arbroath cliffs where it is believed Mr Gonda had gone to fish that morning.

Footage shows a man in a bright red ski jacket, with a rucksack on his back and a bicycle propped nearby against the shop. The description fits that of Mr Gonda.

His bike, fishing equipment and fishing rod were discovered at Abroath cliffs by a passer-by about 6.15 on Saturday evening. The find prompted an extensive land, sea and air search, involving Tayside Police, Forth Coastguard, an RAF helicopter from Lossiemouth and the RNLI lifeboats at Arbroath.

On Sunday, a further extensive search was carried out by the coastguard and the lifeboats from Arbroath and Montrose taking in the cliffs and shorefront north to Lunan Bay and south to Easthaven.

Grampian Police’s underwater search team also carried out searches last Tuesday, as Tayside Police conducted inquiries at Woodlea Caravan Park.

News of Mr Gonda’s disappearance has made national headlines in his home nation and appeals for information have been broadcast on the news channel TV Markiza.

Anyone who thinks they might have any information that could assist police with the inquiry is asked to contact Tayside Police on 0845 600 5705, or speak to any officer.