Jungle Search For Missing Briton Stepped Up

Search teams looking for a British man missing in the Malaysian jungle have been promised every available resource to help find him.

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

His mother, who flew out to Malaysia on Saturday, said police had been "incredibly slow" to react.

Gareth Huntley and his mum, Janet Southwell, who has flown to Malaysia

However, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, who is also in Malaysia and has discussed the case with his counterpart Hishammuddin Hussein, has been told "all available search assets" will be used to hunt for the 34-year-old.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "He was assured the Malaysian authorities would do all they could to locate him."

Volunteers and local people have been into the jungle to search for Mr Huntley but have so far been unable to find him.

Mr Huntley's girlfriend, Kit Natariga, has appealed for extra help

A professional search team including a helicopter crew, 10 paramilitary commandos and eight firefighters has now been assembled.

Sniffer dogs and patrol boats will also be used to help trace the accountant, who lives in Hackney, east London.

Sky's Darren McCaffrey, outside the Foreign Office, said: "There has been talk of the British actively getting involved in the search too.

"There are specialist military personnel based in nearby Brunei but so far that hasn't been offered or indeed requested by the Malaysian authorities."

The stepped-up response comes after Mr Huntley's friends and family criticised the way authorities had responded to his disappearance.

His mother, Janet Southwell, wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister, urging him to intervene "before time runs out".

Friend Sophie Wilson added: "(The police) have been incredibly lethargic ... they're just not taking this seriously."

Gareth's brother Mark said "real action" was needed and called for "boots on the ground".

The Briton's disappearance is described as out of character

"This was a man working out there as a wildlife volunteer - he deserves our assistance," he said.

Mr Huntley's family have since said they are "hugely grateful" to David Cameron and Mr Hammond for their intervention.

The Briton had been working for the Juara Turtle Project, a conservation charity on Tioman Island.

He told friends he would return from the jungle on Tuesday afternoon but has not been seen since setting off earlier in the day.

Ms Southwell described her son's disappearance as "totally out of character".

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

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