FIND NORA
Nora Quoirin cops probe sighting of ‘white woman’ swimming in Malaysian jungle river – as scent found by sniffer dogs mysteriously vanishes
A "WHITE woman" has reportedly been seen swimming in a Malaysian jungle river where cops are searching for missing Brit Nora Quoirin.
Sniffer dogs trying to track down the 15-year-old London girl initially picked up her scent within 4,000 feet of the remote resort she disappeared from at the weekend, but there's no trace of her beyond that range, say police.
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Sky News said that cops are investigating reports that the teen might have been spotted – as a “white woman” was apparently seen swimming in a river not far away, on Sunday afternoon.
Police have only received this information in the past few hours and are currently following it up, but are said to be unsure as to whether the eyewitness's account is correct.
Negeri Sembilan police chief Mohamad Mat Yusop told reporters today: "We will do our very best. We will not give up hope. We believe that she didn't go far and that she had lost her way."
Mohamad said rescuers earlier today had repeated their search around the perimeter of the Dusun hill resort Nora had been staying with her family, because they believed she was still within the vicinity.
He said they would now focus on the foothill of the jungle resort near a river, based on the assumption that she would be in a weak state and could head downhill to find water and food.
Nora’s family said they discovered her missing from her bedroom at the Dusun eco-resort in southern Negeri Sembilan state on Sunday morning with the window left open.
More than 170 people have been involved in the search operation, with a helicopter, sniffer dogs and local villagers aiding in the expanded comb through the dense jungle, Mohamad said, adding that the search would continue through the night.
Local indigenous people, Orang Asli, are also helping to look for the girl.
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LEARNING DISABILITIES
The parents of Nora Quoirin, who has learning and developmental disabilities, are an Irish-French couple who've lived in London for about 20 years, according to the Lucie Blackman Trust, a British charity support people during a crisis overseas.
In a statement, they said: "We are especially worried because Nora has learning and developmental disabilities and is not like other 15 year olds.
"She looks younger, she is not capable of taking care of herself and she won't understand what is going on.
"She never goes anywhere by herself. We have no reason to believe she wandered off and is lost."
Nora's relatives have set up a page to raise money to fund the search.
It says: "Her parents and our families in Ireland and France are distraught by her disappearance.
"Nora is a child with special needs... which make her especially vulnerable and we fear for her safety.
"Nora would not know how to get help and would never leave her family voluntarily.
"Local police now consider this a criminal matter and are treating it as an abduction."
The total raised has surpassed the £6,000 target, with donors giving nearly £23,000 to help find her.
The family are convinced it is a criminal matter but local police initially said there were no signs of foul play.
However they later revised their opinion saying that Nora had been “taken” but not “abducted”.
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RESORT STAFF 'PRAYING HARD'
Haanim Bamadhaj, a resort spokesman, said the Dusun management is baffled by Nora's disappearance.
Resort staff and even some guests had earlier joined in the search.
She said: "Our resort has been operating for 10 years and we have never even been robbed. We are doing our very best and praying hard."
Following Nora's disappearance, she said some guests had cancelled their bookings and that the resort had provided full refunds. Access to the site has been blocked due to the search operation.
Villagers who joined in the search expressed concern over the missing girl's fate.
Bali anak Akau said: "This particular jungle, for outsiders, they don't know how to navigate, they get lost. Natives like me, we are used to this jungle."
A member of staff at the hotel told The Sun Online there is "no way of knowing" if the window was opened from the outside or the inside of Nora's room. The area is not covered by CCTV.
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'TRIP OF A LIFETIME'
The teen arrived on Saturday with her parents and two siblings at Dunsun - in a nature reserve near Seremban, 39 miles south of the capital Kuala Lumpur.
It was the start of a two-week "trip of a lifetime" with her mum, dad and two siblings, a family friend said.
Nora's mum Meabh is originally from Belfast while her father is French - with her parents having lived in London for around 20 years.
Matthew Searle, CEO of the Lucie Blackman Trust, said: "This is a very vulnerable young girl missing in a remote location.
This is a very vulnerable young girl missing in a remote location
Matthew Searle, Lucie Blackman Trust
"She has been missing for over 24 hours now, and it is imperative that every resource available is deployed to search for her.
"It is possible she has been seen or taken in by somebody and is unable to communicate, so we urge everyone who can to share our appeal poster and social media appeals.
"Sadly it is also possible that Nóra has been the victim of serious crime – we urge anyone with any information to come forward."
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REMOTE RESERVE
The Dusun is a 12-acre orchard resort next to the Berembun Forest Reserve - 4,000 acres of protected virgin forest rising to 3,900 feet.
The forest has wild boar, deer, giant millipedes, monkeys and leeches, according to the resort's website.
There are two small villages near the resort where the majority of residents work in farming of the local land.
Nora is understood to have been travelling on an Irish passport.
A spokesman for Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs said: "We are aware of the case and providing consular assistance."
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The family has set up an email address where information can be passed on at [email protected].
The LBT has also provided a hotline and email address for information.
People can remain anonymous and can call +448000988485 or email [email protected].
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