Family of ‘vulnerable’ missing British girl Nora Quoirin, 15, issue emotional appeal

The family of ‘vulnerable’ missing British teenager Nora Quoirin today issued an emotional appeal to find her after unidentified fingerprints were found at a Malaysian jungle cottage where she disappeared. 

Nora Quoirin, 15, from London, disappeared from the Dusun forest eco-resort, in southern Negeri Sembilan state, on Sunday.

In a live TV statement issued this afternoon, the family said there were ‘overwhelmed’ by the support they had received and remained ‘hopeful’ their daughter could be found. 

Royal Malaysia Police is analysing fingerprints found in a resort cottage where Nora was reporting missing, despite previously saying there were no initial signs of foul play.  

Nora’s family said: ‘We ask everyone to keep Nora in their thoughts, and to continue to support the ongoing search for her.

‘Nora is still missing, and she is very vulnerable, and we need to do everything we can to bring her home.’

It came as divers scoured a river looking for any clues as they joined a large team hunting for the teenager. Police are also analysing fingerprinte  

A map of the resort from where she disappeared

Nora Quoirin, 15, (left) went missing from her bedroom on Sunday morning while on a family holiday at a nature resort in Seremban, Malaysia. Pictured on the right is a map of the resort from where she disappeared 

Nora's bedroom inside the Sora apartment at the Dusun Resort in Seremban, Malaysia, where she was sleeping with her siblings

Nora’s bedroom inside the Sora apartment at the Dusun Resort in Seremban, Malaysia, where she was sleeping with her siblings 

The living room at the Sora apartment, where there was an open window. It is advertised as an orchard resort on the edge of the tropical rainforest

The living room at the Sora apartment, where there was an open window. It is advertised as an orchard resort on the edge of the tropical rainforest

Nora was on the 'trip of a lifetime' to the Dusun resort (pictured) near Seremban on the edge of the Malaysian rainforest

Nora was on the ‘trip of a lifetime’ to the Dusun resort (pictured) near Seremban on the edge of the Malaysian rainforest 

Malaysian divers take part in a search and rescue operation for the missing Nora in Seremban, which locals have been assisting

Malaysian divers take part in a search and rescue operation for the missing Nora in Seremban, which locals have been assisting 

‘We are still hopeful’: The full statement issued by Nora’s family today  

 ‘Nora’s family wish to express their deepest gratitude for the Royal Malaysian Police force, the search and rescue teams, and emergency services, for all they have done for us in this difficult time.

‘We would like to thank our embassies, the local community, and the staff here at the hotel. And anyone else who has offered help to find Nora.

‘We also welcome the assistance of the French, British and Irish police.

Nora's family giving their statement in a live TV broadcast today. Pictured is her aunt (centre) and uncle Michael Agnew (right)

Nora’s family giving their statement in a live TV broadcast today. Pictured is her aunt (centre) and uncle Michael Agnew (right) 

‘We are completely overwhelmed by the support we have received from all over the world.

‘This is extremely traumatic for the whole family. Meabh and Sebastien are devastated and too upset to speak themselves at this time.

‘We are extremely thankful to The Lucie Blackman Trust for their ongoing support.

‘They are handling all media enquiries for us and everything should be directed to them. Our family cannot face dealing with that at the moment.

‘But we must remain hopeful. And we ask everyone to keep Nora in their thoughts, and to continue to support the ongoing search for her.

‘Nora is still missing, and she is very vulnerable, and we need to do everything we can to bring her home.’  

 

Nora’s parents, Meabh and Sebastien, an Irish-French couple, were ‘too upset to speak themselves at this time’, said the statement released on their behalf by the Lucie Blackman Trust, which helps crisis-struck British nationals overseas.

‘This is extremely traumatic for the whole family,’ it said. 

The family, including Nora’s younger brother and sister, arrived at the resort about 40 miles south of Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

They believe Nora, who has learning and developmental disabilities, was abducted.

Nora is pictured above with her mother Meabh Quoirin. According to a website set up by the family, those close to Nora are 'distraught'

Nora is pictured above with her mother Meabh Quoirin. According to a website set up by the family, those close to Nora are ‘distraught’

The statement added: ‘We must remain hopeful.

‘And we ask everyone to keep Nora in their thoughts, and to continue to support the ongoing search for her.

‘Nora is still missing, and she is very vulnerable, and we need to do everything we can to bring her home.’

Deputy police chief Che Zakaria Othman said a forensic team was analysing fingerprints found in the family’s cottage.

The prints were at an open window in a downstairs hall, not in the bedroom upstairs where the girl was sleeping with her siblings, he said.

Police added they were ‘not ruling out any possibility’ and they believe Nora is still in the area.

The rescue operation involves more than 200 people working around the clock.

Othman said a special team from the federal police headquarters as well as from the forensics and criminal investigation departments were assisting.  

The rescue operation involves more than 200 people working on shifts through the night but police are still clueless as to the girl’s whereabouts and are appealing for information, he said.

A local tribe joined rescuers on the third day of the search.

Members of Malaysian rescue team take part in a search and rescue operation for the missing teenager inside the rainforest

Members of Malaysian rescue team take part in a search and rescue operation for the missing teenager inside the rainforest 

Members of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department comb the jungle as they search for the schoolgirl in a river

Members of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department comb the jungle as they search for the schoolgirl in a river 

A diver searches the water for any sign or clue that would point to where Nora is. A helicopter and dozens of people were deployed today

A diver searches the water for any sign or clue that would point to where Nora is. A helicopter and dozens of people were deployed today 

Malaysian rescue teams comb the forest near the resort where the British teenager went missing on Sunday

Malaysian rescue teams comb the forest near the resort where the British teenager went missing on Sunday

A helicopter joined more than 180 people - including these emergency workers - on the third day of the search for the missing girl

A helicopter joined more than 180 people – including these emergency workers – on the third day of the search for the missing girl

Police have expanded the search to the riverbed at the foothill of the resort on assumption that she could head downhill to try and find water

Police have expanded the search to the riverbed at the foothill of the resort on assumption that she could head downhill to try and find water 

Nora arrived with her family on Saturday for a two-week stay at the Dusun, a small resort located in a durian orchard next to a forest reserve about 39 miles south of Kuala Lumpur.

Some of the girl’s relatives were seen trekking at the hill in the search today.

Police have expanded the search to the riverbed at the foothill of the resort on assumption that she could head downhill to try and find water. 

Local indigenous villagers and police canine teams have also been deployed to try and track down the girl. 

Her anguished grandfather said earlier that she is not in the habit of running off after police insisted she wasn’t kidnapped. 

Sylvain Quoirin said by phone from Venisy, in north-central France where he is the mayor: ‘Nora disappeared in extremely mysterious conditions since she was sleeping in the room with her sister and brother.

‘In the morning, the window was open and she had disappeared, whereas after an 18-hour flight and a seven-hour time difference you would sleep soundly and not go for a stroll at night.

‘Everyone went to bed tired, and in the morning Nora wasn’t there.’ 

The Orang Asli people, a local tribe that has knowledge of the dense terrain, are assisting police in the search

The Orang Asli people, a local tribe that has knowledge of the dense terrain, are assisting police in the search

Authorities in Malaysia are adamant the British 15-year-old, who has learning difficulties, knowingly ventured out of the rented property

Authorities in Malaysia are adamant the British 15-year-old, who has learning difficulties, knowingly ventured out of the rented property

However, Nora's family insist that she wouldn't have walked away from the resort voluntarily

However, Nora’s family insist that she wouldn’t have walked away from the resort voluntarily

The Orang Asli people, who have knowledge of the dense terrain, are assisting police as the search widens beyond a seven mile radius. 

New photos have revealed the extensive search to find the missing teenager, with police, tribesmen, soldiers and sniffer dogs also joining the hunt.

Divers were seen combing lakes in the jungle near the resort where Nora was last seen.

A helicopter and more than 180 people from various government agencies searched for her through the jungles near the resort, said senior police official Mohamad Mat Yusop.

‘We will do our best and will not give up hope,’ he told reporters. ‘We feel she did not go far.’  

Quoirin said he understood that the French ambassador had met high-level Malaysian officials over the case.

‘I dare to believe that we are going to find her because enormous means have been put in place,’ he added.

‘Things are being done seriously now.’ 

A map shows the Dusun Resort near Seremban in Malaysia where Nora disappeared on Sunday

A map shows the Dusun Resort near Seremban in Malaysia where Nora disappeared on Sunday

On Sunday morning the teen's family couldn't find her in her hotel room, which had a window open

On Sunday morning the teen’s family couldn’t find her in her hotel room, which had a window open

Her father Sebastien, who found her bed empty and the room's window open, said yesterday: 'We believe she may have been abducted'

Her father Sebastien, who found her bed empty and the room’s window open, said yesterday: ‘We believe she may have been abducted’

Nora’s family have told the Lucie Blackman Trust, a British charity that supports the families of British people who go missing abroad, that they suspect foul play.

The Dusun is a 12-acre (five-hectare) resort in the foothills of a mountain range and next to a forest reserve.

On Sunday morning the teen’s family couldn’t find her in her hotel room, which had a window open, a relative in France said.

The resort’s management said in a Facebook post that its employees were ‘extremely distressed and worried’ about her disappearance and were assisting in the search. 

One of Nora’s aunts, Aisling Agnew from Belfast, has set up an online fundraising campaign that aims to help cover expenses of other family members who are travelling to Malaysia to join the search effort. 

Relatives has lashed out after it emerged that sniffer dogs lost the scent for Nora Quoirin just 100 yards from the eco-lodge bungalow where she vanished on Sunday morning. 

The resort's management said in a Facebook post that its employees were 'extremely distressed and worried' about her disappearance

The resort’s management said in a Facebook post that its employees were ‘extremely distressed and worried’ about her disappearance

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