The family of Easington man Malcolm Curtis say they have finally been given the closure they needed after his body was found eight months on from his disappearance.
Humberside Police were alerted to the discovery of the body in a wooded area in the village on Sunday, February 15.
Malcolm, 89, was reported missing on Wednesday, June 4, last year. He was last seen at around 8.15am walking west along Hull Road in Easington after being seen in Westfield Close at about 8.10am.
A large-scale multi-agency search was launched involving Humberside Police, HM Coastguard, RNLI, specialist search dogs, the Underwater Search Unit, aerial support and partner agencies, alongside Malcolm’s family, friends and local volunteers.
Officers and search teams covered an extensive area of countryside around Easington and neighbouring villages, with police on foot, patrol vehicles, off-road motorbikes, drones, NPAS helicopter support and specialist K-9 teams searching fields, lanes and ditches stretching towards Spurn Point.
Malcolm’s daughter, Gale Goodridge, expressed the family’s thanks to all involved in the search efforts.
She said: “On behalf of our family I’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who assisted in the search for Malcolm, from the dedicated search teams to the emergency services and to the many volunteers from Easington area and from much further afield, who willingly gave their time and effort to try and locate him.
“Special thanks goes to those dedicated walkers and volunteers who have continued searching over many months, which has now finally given the closure we needed.
“It is a great relief to all the family that he has now been found and can be laid to rest.”
At the time of Malcolm’s disappearance in June, Chief Inspector Owen Stafford said: “Since Malcolm was reported missing, we have carried out extensive inquiries involving large-scale searches over a 7.5km² area of countryside with specialist trained teams, scent dogs, the Underwater Search Unit, and support from partner agencies, as well as Malcolm’s family and friends.
“We have reviewed hours of CCTV and doorbell footage and undertaken house-to-house inquiries in an effort to understand Malcolm’s movements and the direction he may have taken.
“As time passes, the nature of our search efforts continues to adapt with specialist search dogs carrying out more targeted searches based on the information we’ve gathered so far.”
Police also urged residents to check sheds, gardens, outbuildings and any sheltered spaces.
A police spokeswoman reiterated yesterday that officers had done all they could operationally in terms of the search, as they would for any vulnerable missing person, and urged people to respect the family’s privacy.
Withernsea businesswoman Liz Downing, who lives in Easington, was among those who helped in the search.
She said: “After spending many hours and days looking for Malcolm when he first went missing, we never stopped looking for him or thinking about him, hoping that he would be found.
“While we held on to that hope, we were realistic and knew that, eventually, a body would be found. Malcolm can now be laid to rest, and his family and friends finally have closure – in time, they can move on with their lives without constantly wondering where he might be. My thoughts are with all concerned. Rest in peace, Malcolm.”
Drone operator Craig Marriott also assisted with the search, making regular trips to Easington to survey the area from above.
He said: “I liaised with the police to offer air support with drones, but they said they’d had enough people with drones asking to help.
“I went a couple of days after Malcolm had disappeared and searched all the surrounding fields.
“Using his last known sighting location as a radius hub, I searched 1.5 miles away from that point in all directions from the gas works boundaries to almost the Humber Bank focusing on watercourses and field drainage systems.
“After exhausting planned search patterns, I felt that there was little else I could offer in terms of air support.
“My thoughts remain with Malcolm’s family.”