A search for a missing RAF serviceman from Fife has been expanded as his friends and family continue their anxious wait for news.
Corrie McKeague, from Dunfermline, was last seen on a night out in Bury St Edmunds in the early hours of Saturday September 24, with CCTV footage capturing his last sighting at 3.24am.
With it now almost three weeks since his disappearance, police have appealed for everyone who was in the town centre between 3am and 6am that morning to come forward, regardless if they think they have any relevant information.
Corrie’s family has also urged people to continue to share the 23-year-old’s case via social media in the hope of some sort of breakthrough, while locals have been asked to search their gardens, sheds and outhouses for any sign of clues.
Corrie became separated from his RAF colleagues and was seen on CCTV at 1.20am in Brentgovel Street, carrying a takeaway while wearing white jeans a light pink polo shirt.
A few moments later he went to sleep in a doorway for two hours, but no further sightings have been reported since.
Mobile phone records suggest that Corrie’s Nokia Lumia 435 had been moved 10 miles between Bury and Barton Mills on the morning of his disappearance, but the phone has not yet been found.
Police say there is no evidence of criminality or third party involvement as yet, although they aren’t ruling anything out.
Indeed, Corrie’s mother Nicola Urquhart suggested earlier this week that he may have got into a vehicle — willingly or otherwise — and appealed for people with information to come forward.
“Police are confident Corrie is not still in Bury and has not left on foot,” she said.
“This can only mean there is third party involvement, there is just no evidence so far to prove criminality.
“As such I would ask people to help me find this evidence as someone does know something.”
Police identified three teenagers who had been in the area at the time and who they were keen to speak to, although they have now been traced as part of the ongoing investigation.
More than 20,000 leaflets have been printed for free by local firms and have been distributed by volunteers, while sniffer dogs have been used in recent days to scour the popular routes used from the town back to Corrie’s base at RAF Honington.
David Foster, from the National Search and Rescue Dogs Association, said: “The frightening thing is that Corrie could have been hit by a vehicle and thrown into the bushes or into the tree line.
“So we’re trying to clear the tree line all the way along.
“We’re putting the dogs as close to the road as we can.
“The dogs hopefully will pick up any scent that’s in there.”
Superintendent Kim Warner, from Suffolk Police, said officers are keeping an open mind as to what happened to Corrie.
“We had some additional witnesses come forward and there is an indication that he may have had a conversation and indicated that he would walk back to Honington,” Supt Warner concluded.
“But I think it’s really important that we’re not blinkered and think that’s the only explanation.”
A Crowdfunding appeal has also been launched for funds to assist the Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue Team’s efforts.
Anyone wishing to help can do so via https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/findcorrie.
