GMP contacted the team on Thursday 29th June, with regards to a large-scale Mountain Rescue search operation which was planned to commence today in relation to a long term missing person in the Wigan area. A 36 year old Wigan man, resident in the Beech Hill area went missing on Monday 8th May, since when GMP have become increasingly concerned for his welfare.
Police search operations have been taking place ever since his disappearance, culminating in the need for the specialist search experience of search & rescue teams to assist the Police in their task of trying to locate this person or items which may lead to his discovery.
With an early morning rendezvous at our base of 08:15, 29 Bolton MRT members ultimately became involved in the search operation for this missing man.
The search RVP and Control Point was established in the car park adjacent to the JJB Soccer Dome and Health Centre, off Stadium Way, Wigan.
The Control Point
Joining in the search were 12 members of Rossendale & Pendle MRT (who had journeyed from their base at Haslingden), 14 members of Cheshire Lowland Search & Rescue Team, 3 GMP Tactical Aid Units, GMP CID and forensic officers, two GMP Search Managers, and 7 officers and two dog teams from British Transport Police.
The search operation was controlled and coordinated by Bolton MRT in close liaison with two GMP Search Managers going into GMP pre-planned specific search areas.
3 main areas were covered, the first in the Standish Lower Ground area of Wigan, the second in the Martland Mill to Gathurst Road area, and the third in the area immediately adjacent to the JJB Soccer Dome.
Three members of the Bolton MRT Kayak Search Team covered the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, River Douglas, and other water bodies in the above search areas.
The Bolton MRT also provided a full catering service for everybody present in association with excellent catering provided by GMP.
Search parties reported that searching was difficult in the very densely vegetated search areas, with the day’s taskings being completed by 18:00. Further taskings are to be undertaken by all three Mountain Rescue and Search & Rescue teams later in the week, with Police searching and other enquiries continuing.
