SEREMBAN: The search for an Irish girl who has been missing from a resort here since yesterday morning has been intensified with the deployment of an additional platoon of 40 personnel from the Police General Operations Force from Cheras, bringing the total of personnel involved in the operation to 159.
The 15-year-old Nora Anne Quoirin, a girl with special needs and learning disabilities, arrived here from London with her family on Saturday for a two-week trip.
She was reported to have gone missing during their stay at The Dusun a tropical rainforest resort near here at 8 am yesterday.
Negeri Sembilan deputy police chief SAC Che Zakaria Othman said other parties involved in the search for the girl were the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force, RELA, Forestry Department, as well as the villagers and the Orang Asli community.
“With the additional personnel, we have also expanded our search area. The resort itself is measuring 1.215 hectares,” he told a press conference at the Pantai Police Station near here today, which was also attended by State CID chief ACP Wan Rukman Wan Hassan and Nilai Police chief Supt Mohd Nor Marzukee Besar.
“The search and rescue operation is divided into two teams, one of which include the Orang Asli and Forestry Department personnel who are going into the forest, while the other team focuses around the outer area, including the nearby village and Pantai town.
“So far, we still have no lead on the case,” he said.
Che Zakaria also called on the public with information on the girl’s whereabouts to come to the nearest police station.
“We will also distribute her picture to the media for distribution and anyone who may spot the girl anywhere is requested to inform the police immediately,” he said, adding that police believed the girl did not bring anything with her as her passport and personal belongings were still with the family.
Che Zakaria said there was no closed-circuit television camera at the chalet occupied by the family as only one camera was installed at the resort’s lobby.
The Irish Embassy had also been informed about the case, he added.
Meanwhile, Bernama checks at the resort today found that it was strictly controlled by police personnel and RELA members.
Even members of the media were denied entry, believed to be on the girl’s family’s request and for safety reasons.
Yesterday, Nilai police chief Supt Mohamad Nor Marzukee Besar confirmed that police had received a report of the missing Irish girl.
“Initial investigation found that the family comprising a couple and their three children from Ireland had checked into the resort at 7 am on Aug 3.
“According to the family, they only realised that Nora Anne was missing from her room at 8.30 am yesterday,” he added.
— BERNAMA
