Police investigating the disappearance of RAF serviceman Corrie McKeague have denied a claim from his mother that the specialist unit which has reviewed the force’s handling of the search was not given all the facts.
A redacted report of a review by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit into Suffolk Constabulary, obtained under freedom of information laws, concluded the force has carried out a “thorough” investigation.
Corrie, 23, who was based at RAF Honington, went missing after a night out in Bury St Edmunds in September last year.
His mother, Nicola Urquhart, said in the Find Corrie group on Facebook that the East Midlands unit was not given all the facts.
But a Suffolk Constabulary spokesman said: “The East Midlands Special Operations Unit who conducted the review into the investigation were given access to all of the information they needed to conduct a thorough review, including all of the witness statements.”
In the report, the unit made 14 recommendations, including viewing CCTV footage from a wider area. It concluded: “Suffolk Constabulary have conducted a thorough investigation into this high risk missing person report, and demonstrated a clear determination to locate Corrie McKeague by exploring all reasonable lines of enquiry. The enquiries conducted (…) and the search operation conducted at Milton landfill site have been exemplary, and testament to the efforts of those involved.”
Corrie’s father Martin said in a statement in the report that he accepts that there are no longer any other reasonable lines of enquiry.
The Suffolk Constabulary spokesman added: “The report concludes that police have conducted a thorough investigation and explored all reasonable lines of enquiry.
“The report supports the approach the investigation has taken, as well as the decision to search Cell 22 of the Milton landfill site and in conclusion agrees that the most likely area of disposal is through the landfill process.
“We continue to engage and work closely with the family to keep them fully informed of progress of the investigation.”
The current landfill search for the missing gunner, which resumed in October, could finish as early as next week.
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