Titchfield Common grandfather Jim Cunningham is to head to Dubai with his son and granddaughter next week to raise questions about the disappearance of Royal Navy sailor Timmy MacColl.
Leading Seaman MacColl went missing in May last year during a port visit to the city by his ship HMS Westminster.
Timmy MacColl
Jim’s granddaughter Rachael is Timmy’s wife and they will head to Dubai with Jim’s son Neil on Monday (January 21) to quiz police in Dubai in the hope of fresh leads.
Jim said the family continued to be disappointed with the lack of answers in the investigation so far.
“The plan is to go out there and ask them what they’ve been investigating, what they’ve found – and what they haven’t found out – and trying to come up with some answers,” he said.
“If nothing else, it will familiarise us with what could have happened. It’s colouring the picture in. If you can understand the graphics of it, it does help with the understanding of it.”
The family were told that a press conference they and the Royal Navy were holding last October was to be transmitted as a YouTube video and translated into several languages spoken by residents in Dubai. But it has not yet.
“The Navy promised us the press conference would be recorded for transmission on YouTube and in popular languages spoken over there. That has not happened,” said Mr Cunningham.
“Disappointed is one way of putting it. Angry is probably nearer the mark. Don’t make promises if you can’t keep them. I get the feeling the Navy aren’t as keen as the family are to come up with a solution.”
Timmy MacColl, originally from Scotland, was last seen in the early hours of May 27 while on shore leave.
It is believed shipmates put him in a taxi outside a bar after a night out, but he failed to return to the ship.
He has not been found after searches in the port and underwater.
“The family is distraught,” Mr Cunningham added. “But we are putting on a brave face.
“Rachael is being absolutely understanding and putting on a brave face and she’s got to hold it together for the sake of her children.”
Mr Cunningham urged people to sign a petition to have the disappearance and investigation discussed in Parliament.
For more details visit www.bringtimmyhome.co.uk.