Malaysian officials say every resource possible will be used to hunt for Gareth Huntley, after his family criticise the response.

10:12, UK, Sunday 01 June 2014

The family of a British man who disappeared while trekking on a paradise island off Malaysia have urged the Government to appeal to local authorities to step up search efforts.

Gareth David Huntley disappeared on Tuesday after attempting to find a waterfall in the jungles of Tioman Island, off the peninsula's east coast.

:: Jungle Search For Missing Briton Stepped Up

He told friends at a charity project he had been working with he would return by 2pm that day but he has not been seen since.

Missing Briton Gareth Huntley with his girlfriend Kit.

A group of volunteers and local people have been into the jungle to search for the 34-year-old but have not found him.

Mark Huntley said "real action" is needed to find his brother.




Mr Huntley's mother Janet Southwell, who is on her way to the region, told Sky News the police response has been "incredibly slow" and her son's disappearance is "totally out of character".

"He just would not do it, he knows there are too many people who care and love him," she said.

She has written an open letter to the Prime Minister urging him to "do the right thing" and "make one phone call to the Malaysian leader to insist that they deploy real help to find Gareth before time runs out".

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Government is working hard with the Malaysian authorities to ensure a comprehensive search is carried out to find Gareth Huntley.

"The Malaysian police have already deployed a search team using dogs and boats, and the Foreign Office continue to work with the Malaysian authorities. An FCO consular team is en route to Tioman Island to meet the family when they arrive."

Twenty Malaysian police officers and a search dog are now involved in the search.

One of his friends who is in the area and doing what he can to help is Kyle Neo Kai Fu, who told Sky News he is certain his friend is alive.

"He knows a lot of things about self-sustainability," he said. "I think he's a survivor."

Survival expert Ken Hames told Sky News there are "lots of hazards" in the jungle apart from heavy rain.

"You've got deadfall from trees that have rotted, you've got hornets … quite a lot of things to contend with."

According to one of the accountant's close friends, Malaysian authorities have so far failed to conduct a thorough search.

Sophie Wilson told Sky News: "Nothing has come from the authorities. As far as we're aware, the police were informed and haven’t been doing anything. They've been incredibly lethargic.

"They've said they're performing a search but all evidence on the ground suggests they're just not taking this seriously."

Mr Huntley, from east London, had been working as a volunteer at the Juara Turtle Project, a conservation charity on Tioman Island.

One of the other volunteers, Charles Fisher, said police were informed the day after he went missing but did not actively begin searching.

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