The family of a Perthshire sailor missing in Dubai have spoken of their frustration at a lack of official information after it emerged that a new witness has come forward.
Royal Navy Leading Seaman Timmy MacColl (27) vanished on shore leave last May after getting into a taxi bound for his ship.
A new witness has contacted Mr MacColl’s family and the Royal Navy’s Special Investigation Branch to tell them he saw the sailor later, walking away from his vessel HMS Westminster at Port Rashid.
Last night, Mr MacColl’s uncle, Dundee police officer Colin MacColl, confirmed the sailor’s wife Rachael and other family members were aware of the new information.
Mr MacColl, who is the community constable for Lochee, said: “I’ve heard it from the family down south and I think they have heard it from naval contacts, but they are not being kept aware of anything from the Dubai authorities.
“There’s been no direct contact with them since Rachael was out there last time. They are very much frustrated, because they have repeatedly been promised regular dialogue and that seems to be forgotten when they leave the country.
“We are being made aware this side of the Channel about what is going on. There is nothing to indicate something untoward has happened, and we just continue to hope we hear something some day.”
The new lead, which is understood to come from a worker at the port, has sparked a search for a second Dubai taxi driver.
Timmy, who is originally from Killin, was last seen on May 27 after getting into the taxi outside the Rock Bottom Cafe in Bur Dubai. Local police told Mr MacColl’s wife that the taxi driver has passed two lie-detector tests and believe he dropped the sailor near a tea hut at the port.
Mrs MacColl and her uncle Neil Cunningham flew to Dubai in January, where they spent two days with senior police officers reviewing evidence.
The meeting was also attended by Royal Navy and British Foreign and Commonwealth representatives.
Mr Cunningham said: “What we now have is potentially Timmy getting in a second taxi. This raises all sorts of questions. Was there anyone else with him? Where, if he got into a taxi, did it go?
“I hope the investigation is continuing. We are naturally frustrated. With every hour and day that passes there is a stronger likelihood that witnesses and evidence will be lost.”
In February, Mrs MacColl, who gave birth to the couple’s third child after his disappearance, closed down the Bring Timmy Home Facebook page, which had more than 100,000 members, saying it was a “constant reminder” of her loss.