‘Never give up hope’, uncle of missing sailor tells Colgan family

Family offers its support in hunt for Liam around Hamburg

The Dundee uncle of a sailor who disappeared without trace in Dubai has offered his support for the family of missing Liam Colgan.

Liam, 29, a former Perth College student from Inverness, vanished more than two weeks ago while on his brother’s stag weekend in Hamburg.

The search for the missing postman is similar to that for Royal Navy seaman Timmy MacColl, of Killin, who went missing in Dubai in May 2012 while on a night out with friends.

Timmy’s uncle, Colin MacColl, a retired police officer from Dundee, flew out to the Middle Eastern state as part of the search party.

Liam’s brother Eamonn, 33, of Broughty Ferry, who is also a police officer, is in Hamburg searching for him and has postponed his March wedding until his brother is found.

Mr MacColl said: “The family will be desperate for answers and won’t know which way to turn.

“I’d advise them to work closely with the police and local authorities, cooperate as best they can and never to give up hope of finding him.”

Timmy was officially declared dead in 2014. Colin said his family have heard nothing from the Dubai police or navy since.

He added: “The Royal Navy seemed to have washed their hands of it. I think they saw this as bad publicity and just couldn’t wait to move on.

“We’ve not given up hope of finding out what happened to Timmy. You hope for the best but fear the worst.

“I think the case is still being kept open but I’m not aware of any new lines of inquiry.”

Timmy got a taxi back to his warship after a night out at the Rock Bottom Café but has not been seen since.

It was first thought he had fallen into the sea on his return to his ship at Dubai’s Port Rashid harbour.

Underwater hunts around Port Rashid failed to find any trace of Timmy or his phone.

Dundee United captain Willo Flood and manager Csaba Lazlo have helped in the search for missing Liam by making appeal videos.

He was last spotted on CCTV in the early hours of February 10.

We’ve not given up hope of finding out what happened to Timmy. COLIN MACCOLL

The search for Liam Colgan, who has gone missing in Hamburg, has resonances of the search for sailor Timmy MacColl, right, who went missing in Dubai in 2012 while on a night out with friends.