A RIVER cruiser has joined efforts to find missing man Rory Johnson-Hatfield in response to a plea for help from his family.

Gary Hardwicke, owner of the 42ft boat, Azul Criada, says he and another experienced person covered a section of York's River Ouse upstream of Naburn for about an hour on Wednesday, looking along the surface of the water and banks.

He said they found nothing of significance but would return on Thursday.

Rory, 29, has not been seen since November 20.

Mr Hardwicke, of Wheldrake, said he could not currently take the cruiser into York because the river was too high for it to pass under bridges, but he hoped to extend the operation to the city centre once levels have fallen.

He said he had decided to get involved after reading in The Press about an appeal by Rory's father, Doug Hatfield, for help in mounting his own search of the river, following a decision by police to call off their own search last week.

Mr Hardwicke said: "My offer is made in genuine help for the family and as a direct response to your publication."

He said he understood the anguish and 'need for closure' of Rory's family, and hoped he found nothing in the river and Rory was found well.

He added that he had full safety equipment on board the cruiser, which he berthed at Bishopthorpe, and it was a sea going vessel and therefore well equipped.

York Rescue Boat, which assisted police in searching the Ouse last week, has previously advised against anyone making unassisted searches because of the dangers posed while it is in flood.

Dave Benson, the boat's chairman and director of operations, said today that certain family members had asked him to take control of the river aspect of the search, adding: "I would prefer that members of the public weren’t involved as we will have our boats and teams on the river conducting recorded searches. We will be in small boats no longer than about 6 metres so we can get right into the vegetation on the side."

He asked Mr Hardwicke to get in touch, in case his sonar capabilities could be used for a sweep of the river.

Rory, 29, of Skipton, disappeared during the early hours of Friday November 20 during a night out in York city centre.

Mt Hatfield said earlier this week on Facebook: "The river search for Rory by the police has now ended and we have not yet been informed as to when or if it will be resumed. 

"I would like to make an appeal to anybody that has a boat on the river Ouse in York that the family could use in order to resume this part of the search. Thank you in advance."

His appeal met with offers of help, for example from someone in Harrogate who said their 'other half' had a two-man 'rib' which Mr Hatfield could borrow, but others posted messages saying they were concerned about the potential dangers of going out on the river in its flooded state.

Dave Benson responded by posting: "While this is an extremely difficult time, I would strongly advise people not to make unassisted searches of the river. Currently the river is at flood levels and even when the river goes down it will still pose many dangers for sometime after."

He asked for Rory's family to contact him directly so he could advise how the organisation could offer its assistance and guidance.

He told The Press that the rescue boat, with its trained personnel, would not be deployed for a search during current conditions but would happily work with the family to carry out surface searches when the floodwaters have eventually gone down.

North Yorkshire Police said last Friday that very extensive searches of the river had been concluded and there was presently no reason to continue the search, although it would be resumed if further information allowed police to target a specific location.

A force spokesman said omTuesday: “Extensive inquiries are continuing today.”

Mr Hatfield has thanked everyone for their 'heartfelt support and concern for our much loved son and brother,' saying: "The overwhelming response in the search for Rory has touched the family very deeply. I would like everybody to remain positive and let's all do our very best to bring our son home."

People have also been asked to print off a missing poster and put it up in shops and bars, and post it through letterboxes in the Tower Street and Terry Avenue area.

Rory was last seen on CCTV in the early hours of Friday, November 20, close to the City Mills area of York after drinking at a hotel and pub in the city.

Superintendent Adam Thomson said police had worked with Police Scotland to identify the man Rory had been drinking with on the night he disappeared, and that man had voluntarily returned to York to assist with the police search.

Supt Thomson said: "That witness is not a York resident and cannot identify the pub. He has returned to York to try and help us identify the pub, but could not do so from walking the ground with the police officers.

"The big problem is that we still don't know what that last pub was. The man gave a rough description of the inside of the pub, but that can fit a lot of the small pubs in the city."

Supt Thomson said 3D and sonar searches of the river had taken place from the City Mills area to the A64 in the last week, but although police still considered the river as "one strong line of enquiry", they have now been suspended.

Police also released these CCTV images, which were the last time Rory was seen, and taken at about 12.40am on Friday, November 20.

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Supt Thomson said the investigation needed more information from the public to help with the searches, but did not rule out further river searches in future.

He said: "We have no information that would support continuing the river searches. The areas of highest probability have had very thorough searches, and those of lower probability have had searches done out beyond the areas where we would expect to find any evidence of Rory's presence.

"Because we have been focused on the river, we believe that may have focused people on the river searches. What we want people to do is anyone who has private CCTV footage near the river, review it on the night of Thursday into Friday, and see if Rory is seen anywhere else after that time."

The CCTV footage showed Rory Johnson-Hatfield in the Castle Mills area of York. His family positively identified the man in the images as Rory.

The 29-year-old went missing on a night out in the city. Police are following all lines of inquiry and the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Underwater Search Team based at Humberside Police have today resumed underwater searches in the Ouse.

Police continue to appeal to anyone who recalls seeing Rory or someone matching his description in York on Thursday evening or Friday to contact them.

Colleagues of Rory at a North Yorkshire restaurant have been facing an anguished wait for his return.

Police have been searching without success for Rory since he left the York Central Travelodge in Piccadilly just after midnight on the night of November 19/20.

A police underwater search team and York Rescue Boat scoured the River Ouse over the course of several days without anything significant being found during several dives near Skeldergate Bridge.

Friends and colleagues at Brody's Pizzeria in Sheep Street, Skipton, where Rory works, are waiting anxiously for his return, said co-owner Jane Hurst.

She said: "Rory is a really super man and well-loved by us all. He is extremely good with the customers and they really like him – in many ways, he is Brody's.

"He was due to start work at 10am on Saturday and we were very concerned when he didn't arrive. Obviously, we are still very hopeful he will turn up safe and well."

His friends at Brody's have also posted a message on the restaurant's Facebook page, which reads: "Rory Johnson. Our well-loved waiter is missing. Hoping for his speedy return. You are much missed my love. And in our thoughts. It's quiet without you. Xxx. Jane, Dave, Sabine and all the Brody's team."

His friends have also launched a Facebook page called 'Find Rory Johnson' to ask for people's help in tracing him.

Boats operated by the police Regional Underwater Search Team and York Rescue Boat took part in the search, which focused on the river near Skeldergate Bridge.

Dave Benson, founder of the rescue boat charity, said tonight that police divers went in the water about three times today, once upstream of the bridge near the Bonding Warehouse and a couple of times just downstream of the bridge. However, nothing of significance was found.

Police say Rory had been drinking in the neighbouring Postern Gate Wetherspoon pub on Thursday 19 November, where he had met a fellow hotel guest and the guest's father. He went with them to another pub nearby at about 11.30pm.

He then left the second pub at 12.30am, but the other guest believed he had gone to the toilet or returned to the hotel. This information was provided to police by the other guest, who was not familiar with York, and did not know the name of the pub they visited.

 

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Above and below, police frogmen on the Ouse thismorning Pictures: Anthony Chappel-RossYork Press:

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ABOVE: The search boats moored at Tower Gardens, with the white buoy visible at the left of the image.

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ABOVE: The white buoy, where the search has taken place, is visible at the centre of the image. 

Rory is white, aged 29, 5ft 11in tall, slim build, with short blond hair. He was wearing a round-neck black top, blue jeans and white and navy trainers.

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This photo of Rory, right, was taken on the night of Thursday 19 November

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Members of the Yorkshire and the Humber marine search unit used sonar equipment to check the riverbed, a standard practice before sending specially-trained divers into the water.

A diver entered the river close to the Bonding Warehouse, to investigate a section of the river slightly upstream from there but nothing of significance was discovered.

Missing posters have gone up in pubs, clubs, shops and walls across the city and dozens of people have posted their pleas on a special Facebook group, called Rory Johnson is missing! Around 10,000 people have now joined the group. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/roryjohnson/)

Elizabeth Martland posted: “I'm Rory's Aunty and we are distraught with worry, please, someone must know something of his whereabouts.”

Chris Parr of Cleckheaton posted: “On our way back from York. Posters put everywhere pubs, clubs, shops, walls, the search continues. We WILL find you buddy. Thank you for everyone's support.”

Julie Allen said: “The lads have done a fantastic job and covered York in missing posters. Rest up now lads you've done yourselves proud - he's got amazing mates.”

Sherry Webb appealed for anyone in the Castle Mills / St George's field area in York to check their gardens, garages, outhouses and buildings, implying that one of the last sightings of Rory had been in this area.

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The charity Missing People has also thrown its backing behind the search.

Spokesman Paul Joseph urged the public to help find Rory and also issued a direct appeal to the 29-year-old Skipton man.

He said: "Rory we are here for you whenever you are ready; we can listen, talk you through what help you need, pass a message for you and help you to be safe.”

Missing People runs a free confidential 24 hour helpline, 116 000.

Meanwhile, Jackie Roberts, the mother of 20-year-old student Megan Roberts, who drowned in the River Ouse when walking home after a night out in January 2014, has said she feels for Rory’s family as they wait to hear news.

She was speaking in support of the Royal Life Saving Society UK as it issued a warning about the dangers of rivers in winter, saying it often brought floods and high water on dark nights and mornings.

She said: “I feel for Rory’s family as they wait to hear news.”

Scanning equipment was used on York's rivers on Monday as the search continued for Rory and after friends and relatives issued emotional appeals on Sunday night for help in tracing him.

Rory's father, Douglas Hatfield, appealed through The Press on Sunday for the York public's help in tracing his son.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said on Tuesday: “Rory’s family are being supported by officers at this very distressing time."

The force said Rory had left the Travelodge very early on Friday morning.

A spokesman said: “Rory never returned to the hotel and he failed to turn up for work in Skipton on Friday evening.

“His mobile phone is also going to answer phone and he has not been in contact with his family, which is out of character.

“Extensive police enquiries are ongoing to trace Rory and to establish his movements on Thursday evening and into the early hours of Friday morning.

“One line of inquiry is that Rory may have got into difficulty while walking near the River Ouse in the City Mills and Skeldergate Bridge area after midnight.”

 

Can you help?

Anyone who recalls seeing Rory or someone matching his description in York on Thursday evening or Friday is asked to phone police on 101 without delay, quoting reference 1215020714.