SCHOOLGIRL Nora Quoirin went missing in Malaysia when on holiday with her family – and now footprints discovered in a dense jungle may belong to her.
Nora Quoirin, 15, disappeared while on a family holiday with her parents and two siblings.
The family were staying in the town of Seremban, on the edge of a rainforest close to Kuala Lumpur when the young girl vanished overnight.
The family had arrived on Saturday, August 3 and Nora, who has learning difficulties, disappeared the day after.
Her parents say they woke up on Sunday morning to find their daughter missing and her hotel bedroom window open.
Now, search and rescue teams have found footprints which they believe belong to the London schoolgirl.
The footprints were found close to the resort Nora and her family were staying at, in a dense jungle.
Rescue teams have been searching the area around the resort as they hunt for the Franco-Irish teen, who has special needs and is described as “very vulnerable.”
Those searching for Nora have been playing a recording of her mother Meabh saying “Nora darling, Nora I love you, mum is here” as they walk through the jungle, in the hope she will hear it and show herself to the rescue teams.
Police have said there is “no evidence” of kidnapping but her parents believe she was abducted from the holiday cottage at the Dusun resort.
A “criminal element”, however, has not been ruled out by police but Nora’s family are hopeful she will be found alive as the search continues.
Catherine Morrison, a friend of the family described Nora’s disappearance as “completely out of character” and said her parents were “frantic”.
She said: “They had just arrived – it was going to be a trip of a lifetime.
“They checked into their hotel, the Dusun – it looked beautiful with little cottages and an infinity pool.
“They went to bed, but this morning Nora was not in her room and the window was open.”
The New Straits Times reported an official involved in the hunt told reporters several footprints believed to belong to Nora were found by a dog unit of the Fire and Rescue Department on Thursday.
Assistant director Ahmad Mukhlis Mokhtar said search and rescue focused on that area but there were no further clues found.
He told reporters: “Previously, our detective canines had spotted footprints, but when we conducted a search there, we couldn’t find her.”
Fingerprints found in the cottage Nora was staying at by an open window in a downstairs hall are being analysed by experts.
Nora was staying in the holiday cottage with her parents, mum Meabh and dad Sebastien, and her two siblings.
Mr Mukhlis said teams are optimistic Nora has stayed in the forest and hopeful that they will find her alive soon.
The search currently remains within four miles of the resort.
More than 250 people are assisting in the search, which so far has used drones featuring thermal imaging technology, sniffer dogs, helicopters, divers and local villagers who say the jungle is like their “playground”.
Nora Quoirin latest: The search area is with four miles of the holiday resort (Image: GETTY)
Police Chief Datuk Mohamad Mat Yusop said they need to find Nora as soon as possible.
He said: “An able-bodied or normal person would be weak by the fifth day, and that is why we need to find the victim
as soon as possible.”
Photos of the missing teen have been handed out in the area, while search and rescue teams battle to continue in poor weather conditions such as thick fog and torrential rain.
The family said in their latest statement: “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.
“We are completely overwhelmed by the support we have received from all over the world.
“This is extremely traumatic for the whole family. 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.”
A GoFundMe page started with the aims of supporting Nora’s parents while they stay in Malaysia had raised more than £70,000 at midday on Friday
