The mum of a man reported missing in the Highlands has issued a fresh plea for people to help find her “kind” and “talented” son who vanished nearly a month ago.
Marc Drostle, 28, vanished and travelled to the Aviemore area from London on December 12 and has not been seen by family or friends since. Despite extensive searches by police and reported sightings, they have been unable to trace him.
The last sighting of Marc was reported in a woodland area on Christmas Eve. Officers have issued an updated appeal for any information which may assist their enquiries. His worried family have released a new statement sharing concerns about his safety, in light of his well being and the poor weather conditions in the region. They also praised the efforts of police working to trace him, and the support they have received from locals.
Between Thursday, 19 December, and Saturday, 21 December, there were sightings of him reported in the Abernethy National Nature Reserve, near Nethy Bridge. The most recent sighting is believed to have been in the Anagach Woods area near Granton at around 3pm on Tuesday, 24 December.
Marc’s family issued the following statement: “Marc has not been feeling good for some time, and we are very worried that he may not be thinking clearly enough to look after himself. We are worried about Marc surviving in the cold and we are hoping that he has found a barn or outbuilding where he can stay dry and out of the worst of the weather.
“Marc is a kind, funny and gentle person, who is a talented artist and works making mosaics with his dad in South East London. He has always loved being in the woods and has fond memories of Scotland from a family holiday when he was younger.
“Marc has an adventurous spirit and can walk for long distances, but it is not clear how he has been eating over the past two weeks. As his mum, I can’t bear the thought of him being cold, hungry, and alone.
“We are so grateful to local people for their kindness and support. The police have been working hard to find Marc and we really appreciate their efforts and commitment. We cannot wait to get Marc home and get him the help he needs. Please look out for Marc and let the police know as soon as possible if you think you may have seen him.”
Police believe he may have been travelling in the direction of the Moray area along the River Spey.
Marc is described as white, around 5ft 9in tall, of slim build, with dark hair. He is thought to be wearing a black puffer jacket and carrying a blue rucksack.
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Inspector Craig Johnstone from Police Scotland said: “Since Marc was reported missing, we have carried out extensive searches and enquiries across the area, but unfortunately, we have not yet been able to trace him.
“One month on, his family is understandably very worried, and we are continuing to ask for any information that could help us locate him. Marc is known to walk long distances, and it is possible he may have followed the course of the River Spey toward Moray. We are again asking anyone who lives near the river, frequently walks in the area or spends time fishing to report any sightings.
“We also ask residents and landowners to check any cabins, outbuildings, or sheds in case Marc has sought shelter from the weather conditions. Anyone with any information of where Marc may be should call Police Scotland on 101 and quote reference 1774 of 21 December.”
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