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As he had the weekend off, he was not reported missing until the 26 September 2016 (the following Monday) when he failed to report for work.<ref>{{cite news|title=Corrie McKeague: possible sighting of RAF serviceman missing for a month|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/oct/24/corrie-mckeague-possible-sighting-of-raf-serviceman-missing-for-a-month|accessdate=2 November 2016|work=The Guardian|date=24 October 2016}}</ref>
As he had the weekend off, he was not reported missing until the 26 September 2016 (the following Monday) when he failed to report for work.<ref>{{cite news|title=Corrie McKeague: possible sighting of RAF serviceman missing for a month|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/oct/24/corrie-mckeague-possible-sighting-of-raf-serviceman-missing-for-a-month|accessdate=2 November 2016|work=The Guardian|date=24 October 2016}}</ref>


Since then, the [[Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue |Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue team]] (SULSAR) have been involved with the police in searching huge swathes of land around Bury St Edmunds and Honington<ref>{{cite news|last1=Reason|first1=Matt|title=14 new volunteers sign up for search and rescue team in wake of Corrie McKeague’s disappearance|url=http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/14_new_volunteers_sign_up_for_search_and_rescue_team_in_wake_of_corrie_mckeague_s_disappearance_1_4757426|accessdate=2 November 2016|work=East Anglian Daily Times|date=1 November 2016}}</ref> alongside the RAF's own search and rescue teams which have been bolstered by searches involving police helicopters.<ref name=":EADT 21">{{cite news|title=Police search for group sat with Corrie McKeague at pizza takeaway on night of disappearance|url=http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/police_search_for_group_sat_with_corrie_mckeague_at_pizza_takeaway_on_night_of_disappearance_1_4744362|accessdate=2 November 2016|work=East Anglian Daily Times|date=21 October 2016}}</ref>
Since he was reported missing, the [[Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue |Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue team]] (SULSAR) have been involved with the police in searching huge swathes of land around Bury St Edmunds and Honington<ref>{{cite news|last1=Reason|first1=Matt|title=14 new volunteers sign up for search and rescue team in wake of Corrie McKeague’s disappearance|url=http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/14_new_volunteers_sign_up_for_search_and_rescue_team_in_wake_of_corrie_mckeague_s_disappearance_1_4757426|accessdate=2 November 2016|work=East Anglian Daily Times|date=1 November 2016}}</ref> alongside the RAF's own search and rescue teams which have been bolstered by searches involving police helicopters.<ref name=":EADT 21">{{cite news|title=Police search for group sat with Corrie McKeague at pizza takeaway on night of disappearance|url=http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/police_search_for_group_sat_with_corrie_mckeague_at_pizza_takeaway_on_night_of_disappearance_1_4744362|accessdate=2 November 2016|work=East Anglian Daily Times|date=21 October 2016}}</ref>


There was one unconfirmed sighting of McKeague at the back of a sugar factory at Bury St Edmunds at 4:20&nbsp;am, but police have stressed this has now been investigated and the person involved is not Corrie. The last known authenticated sighting was on the CCTV at Brentgovel Street.<ref>{{cite news|title=Police interview man who talked to Corrie McKeague in takeaway|url=http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2016-10-25/police-interviewing-man-who-spoke-to-corrie-mckeague-on-night-he-disappeared/|accessdate=2 November 2016|work=ITV|date=25 October 2016}}</ref>
There was one unconfirmed sighting of McKeague at the back of a sugar factory at Bury St Edmunds at 4:20&nbsp;am, but police have stressed this has now been investigated and the person involved is not Corrie. The last known authenticated sighting was on the CCTV at Brentgovel Street.<ref>{{cite news|title=Police interview man who talked to Corrie McKeague in takeaway|url=http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2016-10-25/police-interviewing-man-who-spoke-to-corrie-mckeague-on-night-he-disappeared/|accessdate=2 November 2016|work=ITV|date=25 October 2016}}</ref>

Revision as of 12:26, 13 January 2017

Corrie McKeague
Born
Perth, Scotland
DisappearedSeptember 24, 2016 (aged 23)
StatusMissing for 7 years, 10 months and 9 days
NationalityBritish
OccupationRAF Regiment gunner
Parent(s)Nicola Urquhart (mother)
Martin McKeague (father)

Corrie McKeague (born September 1993) is a Royal Air Force Regiment gunner who went missing in the early hours of 24 September 2016 in the Bury St Edmunds area of Suffolk, England.

McKeague's disappearance remains under investigation with the case attracting widespread publicity.

Life

McKeague was born in Perth and, after his parents divorced when he was nine, the family moved to Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland.[1] McKeague was raised by his mother, and alongside his two brothers Darroch and Makeyan, he attended St Columba's High School in Dunfermline.[2] McKeague joined the RAF Regiment in 2013 and was posted to No. II Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment based at RAF Honington after his initial Regiment training at the base.[3] McKeague is a Senior Aircraftman gunner and medic on the squadron.[4]

In January 2017, April Oliver, aged 21, announced that she was pregnant with Mckeague's baby. Neither she, nor McKeague were aware of the pregnancy at the time of his disappearance. They had been going out for 5 months. Miss Oliver was on a holiday in America when McKeague disappeared, but cut the holiday short to return to the UK.[5][6]

Disappearance

Sketch map of Bury St Edmunds where Corrie McKeague disappeared showing position of CCTV cameras[7]

McKeague had been due to go out drinking with friends on the 23 September 2016 in Bury St Edmunds,[8] but because of a misunderstanding he was left behind and ended up driving himself in with the intention of leaving his car in Bury St Edmunds overnight.[1] He separated from his friends in the early hours after leaving the Flex nightclub on St Andrews Street South in Bury St Edmunds.[4] The doorman at Flex recalls having to ask McKeague to leave because he was too drunk to stay, remarking that Mckeague was 'no trouble' whatsoever and that they chatted afterwards on the street outside Flex.[9] He was in a takeaway between 1:15 am and 1:30 am of the 24 September[10] (Mama Mia's, which was his usual takeaway restaurant)[11] and was also seen on CCTV at 3:25 am on Brentgovel Street. This is the last known sighting of McKeague. CCTV also suggested that McKeague had slept briefly in a doorway before waking up and moving off.[12] It is not believed he set off with the intent of walking the 10 miles (16 km)[3] back towards his base, RAF Honington, which is north east of the town along minor unclassified roads.[13] Nicola Urquhart, his mother, has stated that her son has never walked back to Honington on any previous occasions.

Leaving on his own, getting food and sleeping for a short time have all been cited by his friends and his mother as something McKeague has done in the past and as such do not represent completely an out of character occurrence.[14]

As he had the weekend off, he was not reported missing until the 26 September 2016 (the following Monday) when he failed to report for work.[15]

Since he was reported missing, the Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue team (SULSAR) have been involved with the police in searching huge swathes of land around Bury St Edmunds and Honington[16] alongside the RAF's own search and rescue teams which have been bolstered by searches involving police helicopters.[10]

There was one unconfirmed sighting of McKeague at the back of a sugar factory at Bury St Edmunds at 4:20 am, but police have stressed this has now been investigated and the person involved is not Corrie. The last known authenticated sighting was on the CCTV at Brentgovel Street.[17]

Investigation

On the morning of McKeague's disappearance, his mobile phone moved from Bury St Edmunds to Barton Mills, some 12 miles (19 km) to the north west along the corridor of the A1101 road. Phone data indicates that this journey took 28 minutes, which means that it did not cover the distance by someone walking on foot.[2] Suffolk Constabulary seized a bin lorry that was said to have contained his Nokia Lumia mobile but the line of enquiry led to nothing. It was noted that the bin lorry seized was only carrying a weight of 15 kilograms (33 lb) and so could not have been carrying McKeague himself[18] as he weighs around 90 kilograms (200 lb).[19] This led to searches being carried out along the bin lorry's route between the two towns.[18] The mobile phone was either switched off at 8:00 am, ran out of battery power or was damaged[20] and it has not been found.[21]

One focus of the investigation has been whether or not someone gave a lift to McKeague as he was walking back to his base. His mother stated that Corrie would have accepted a lift if offered to him, as he would offer a lift if he was driving and saw someone walking on their own. She also appealed for anyone who may have given him a lift to come forward, even if something untoward had happened.[22] Police believe that McKeague is not in Bury St Edmunds. Superintendent Katie Elliott stated in an interview to Forces TV with Nicola Urquhart that there could be third party involvement and that the police would not rule anything out.[23]

The investigation also covered parts of the Hollow Road Industrial Estate in Bury St Edmunds and Great Livermere, a small village close to RAF Honington on McKeague's supposed route back to his base.[24] Along with the British Transport Police, the Suffolk Constabulary have been searching along railway lines in the area and some of the roads have been closed to enable thorough searches to go ahead.[25] In November 2016, a stretch of the eastbound carriageway of the A14 road, was closed between junctions 44 & 45 (Moreton Hall & Rougham) to search for McKeague.[26]

A dismembered and burned body was found in a suitcase off the A628 road near Tintwistle in Derbyshire on the 10 October 2016. Initial investigations led police to say that it was a white man under the age of 50, but it was later revealed that a DNA search had come up negative and Derbyshire Police confirmed the body was not McKeague's.[27]

In November 2016, it was revealed that in the two hours between 3:00 am and 5:00 am on the morning of 24 September 2016, 39 people are seen on the same CCTV camera as the last one to record McKeague's transit. Despite repeated inquiries and appeals 23 of these people remain unidentified. Suffolk Police installed a 'Pod' at a Christmas Fair in Bury St Edmunds between the 24 and 25 November 2016. The public were encouraged to visit the pod to help establish the identities of the 23 people,[28][29] of which, by December 4th, 13 had been positively identified.[30]

In December 2016, 5 square miles (13 km2) of the woodland between Barton Mills and RAF Honington was searched by volunteers and staff from the Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue Team.[31] They were searching the King's Forest area in the possibility that McKeague had been hit by a vehicle on his way home.[32] The area had not been searched before and was declared officially cleared by the end of 17 December 2016. Nichola Urquhart said that she had prepared herself mentally for finding her son's body.[33]

In December 2016, Nichola Urquhart publicly went on record as saying that Suffolk Police were not investigating her sons' disappearance properly. The appeal fund raised in Corrie's name had attracted funds of more than £50,000 by the end of December 2016 and Mrs Urquhart was considering hiring a private investigator to pursue lines of enquiry which she believes the police should have done, but so far had not. Suffolk Police defended their actions stating "We are very focused on finding Corrie. Although it is a missing persons inquiry, we have given it the same resources as a major investigation. We have not ruled out any possibility."[34] Mrs Urquhart postponed hiring an investigator after Suffolk Police agreed to investigate an incident where three men were seen setting fire to a car on the 25 September 2016. The police said that there was no link between the car being set alight and McKeague's disappearance.[35]

In the same interview, Mrs Urquhart described her son as a "social hand grenade" as he would have been happy to get into a stranger's car.[36]

On 10 January 2017, the back of a mobile phone was found close to where the last signal from Corrie's mobile phone was detected. However, as the part contained "no essential components", such as a SIM card or any electronic parts, the police said it would be impossible to link the part with Corrie's disappearance and that no investigations would be carried out on it.[37]

Theories

A retired senior detective from the Metropolitan Police, Colin Sutton, has gone on record as saying that McKeague's disappearance was not intentional as making preparations leaves a digital footprint. Sutton also said that McKeague is shown going into a cul-de-sac that is blocked off by a high wall and a fence, but there is no CCTV of him leaving the road. He doubts whether McKeague would have been aware of where the CCTV cameras are located, which Sutton says, is also indicative of not leaving intentionally.[38] The CCTV cameras that are owned by the council in the town do not give 100% coverage. Even with private CCTV recordings being reviewed, there have been no further sightings of McKeague.[39] McKeague's uncle, Tony Wringe, said that the area off Brentgovel Street that McKeague was shown walking into on CCTV, had been physically tested and it was shown to be impossible to not be caught on CCTV if leaving on foot.[28]

Sutton said that his guess was that there was another person or other people involved in McKeague's disappearance.[38]

McKeague's job with the RAF was not a contributory factor according to the lead detective in the investigation.[40] Intended disappearance was also put in doubt by McKeague's happy mood at the time; he was making plans to meet up with his brother, Darroch, on the night that he went missing,[21] with his last text being sent at 03:08 am. He had also booked flights to go home to Dunfermline for Halloween.[41] His mother also pointed out that he loved his dog which he kept at RAF Honington and would not have left it behind intentionally. She has stated that there are three possible scenarios; that he has met with an accident and is dead, that he left voluntarily or that a third party is involved.[21]

Whilst it has not been stated openly, some parallels have been drawn between the proximity (37 miles (60 km) away)[42] of McKeague's disappearance with an attempted kidnapping of a serviceman at RAF Marham in July 2016.[19] Whilst kidnapping is one investigative route, McKeague's mother, who is a family liaison officer with Police Scotland, said that it was not something that the police were discussing with her.[43] In December 2016, the outgoing Station Commander of RAF Honington, Group Captain Mick Smeath ruled out any link between the attempted abduction at RAF Marham and the disappearance of McKeague.[44]

In November 2016, the family issued a statement on Facebook saying that they were unhappy with the police investigation. McKeague's uncle, Tony Wringe, said that "This is a Major Investigation Team in name not function" (sic).[45] The family also said that a decision not to search a landfill in the Barton Mills area for McKeague's phone was wrong.[46]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Scotter, Kate (28 December 2016). "Corrie McKeague and his mysterious disappearance". BBC News. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Corrie McKeague: "I absolutely believe he's alive" - heartbroken mother". Dunfermline Press. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Family's fears for missing Gunner". RAF News (1405). High Wycombe: Royal Air Force: 5. 21 October 2016. ISSN 0035-8614.
  4. ^ a b "New website brings together information on missing airman Corrie". Bury Free Press. 1 November 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  5. ^ "Corrie Mckeague: Missing airman 'due to become a father'". BBC News. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  6. ^ Narwan, Gurpreet (10 January 2017). "Missing RAF serviceman to become a father". The Times. No. 72116. p. 19. ISSN 0140-0460.
  7. ^ "Corrie Mckeague: Mother calls for empty buildings search". BBC News. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  8. ^ "Possible sighting of missing RAF serviceman Corrie McKeague". The Telegraph. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  9. ^ Shimwell, Chris (14 December 2016). "Flex nightclub doorman tells of last conversation with Corrie McKeague, just hours before he went missing in Bury St Edmunds". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  10. ^ a b "Police search for group sat with Corrie McKeague at pizza takeaway on night of disappearance". East Anglian Daily Times. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  11. ^ Reason, Matt (25 October 2016). "Witness who spoke to missing RAF Honington serviceman Corrie McKeague in Bury St Edmunds pizza takeaway has been traced by police". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  12. ^ "Search for missing RAF serviceman in Bury St Edmunds". BBC News. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  13. ^ Bury St Edmunds (Map) (D1 ed.). 1:50,000. Landranger. Ordnance Survey. 2006. ISBN 9780319229279.
  14. ^ Gillett, Francesca (4 October 2016). "Missing RAF airman Corrie McKeague's mother pleads for help in finding him". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  15. ^ "Corrie McKeague: possible sighting of RAF serviceman missing for a month". The Guardian. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  16. ^ Reason, Matt (1 November 2016). "14 new volunteers sign up for search and rescue team in wake of Corrie McKeague's disappearance". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  17. ^ "Police interview man who talked to Corrie McKeague in takeaway". ITV. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  18. ^ a b "Bin lorry seized in hunt for missing Scots RAF serviceman Corrie McKeague". Herald Scotland. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  19. ^ a b Derrick, Paul (20 October 2016). "Mother of missing Corrie says 'somebody else' must be involved in disappearance". Bury Free Press. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  20. ^ Shimwell, Chris (14 December 2016). "Flex nightclub doorman tells of last conversation with Corrie McKeague, just hours before he went missing in Bury St Edmunds". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  21. ^ a b c Burns, Cheri (20 October 2016). "'This is unbearable': Mum of missing Scots RAF serviceman makes heartbreaking TV plea almost four weeks after he disappeared". Daily Record. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  22. ^ Warrender, Claire (20 October 2016). "Missing Corrie McKeague: mother believes he is still alive". The Courier. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  23. ^ Sadler, Claire (4 November 2016). Police Reassure Corrie's Mum That They Are Doing All They Can (TV). Forces TV. Event occurs at 01:45. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  24. ^ "Corrie Mckeague: Mother believes missing airman may have come to harm". BBC News. 26 October 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  25. ^ "Corrie McKeague: police close section of rail line in search for missing RAF serviceman". Glasgow Evening Times. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  26. ^ Taylor, Phillipa (15 November 2016). "A14 carriageway closed for missing airman search". BBC News. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  27. ^ "Peak District burned body 'is not Corrie Mckeague'". BBC News. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  28. ^ a b "Missing Corrie Mckeague: Suffolk police search 'lacks resources'". BBC News. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  29. ^ Taylor, Phillipa (24 November 2016). "Video: Police pod shows CCTV footage from night Corrie disappeared". BBC News. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  30. ^ Shimwell, Chris (4 December 2016). "13 people pictured on CCTV identified in Corrie McKeague search after police pod set up in Bury St Edmunds". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  31. ^ "Missing Corrie Mckeague: Forest 'crossed off' location list". BBC News. 18 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  32. ^ "Corrie Mckeague search in forest for signs of missing airman". BBC News. 17 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  33. ^ Reason, Matt (18 December 2016). "'We will keep searching until we find my son' says Corrie McKeague's mother after first public search scours five square miles of rural Suffolk". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  34. ^ de Bruxelles, Simon (31 December 2016). "Policewoman starts own inquiry after RAF son disappears". The Times. No. 72108. p. 34. ISSN 0140-0460.
  35. ^ "Corrie Mckeague: Fund target for missing airman reached". BBC News. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  36. ^ "Corrie Mckeague: Missing airman a 'social hand grenade'". BBC News. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  37. ^ "Corrie Mckeague: Phone part found in missing airman probe". BBC News. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  38. ^ a b Sandhu, Serena (24 October 2016). "Senior detective: 'Corrie McKeague didn't disappear on purpose'". ITV. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  39. ^ Reason, Matt (28 October 2016). "Someone else is involved in Corrie McKeague's disappearance from centre of Bury St Edmunds, says former top detective". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  40. ^ "Corrie Mckeague: RAF job 'not a factor' in disappearance". BBC News. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  41. ^ McKendry, Graham (22 October 2016). "Police officer mother of missing RAF man Corrie McKeague says hunt for son is 'surreal'". Sunday Post. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  42. ^ Farmer, Ben (3 October 2016). "Bin lorry seized in hunt for RAF man missing for more than a week". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  43. ^ "Search widened for missing RAF serviceman Corrie McKeague". Dunfermline Press. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  44. ^ "Corrie Mckeague: Friends' hopes over missing RAF man". BBC News. 16 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  45. ^ Reason, Matt (3 November 2016). "'We all share the same aim' – Suffolk police have defended their investigation into Corrie McKeague". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  46. ^ "Missing Corrie Mckeague: Uncle criticises police efforts". BBC News. 4 November 2016. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
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