Mum of Scot missing in Rio in 15-year hunt for truth
A mother whose son disappeared in Brazil 15 years ago says her determination to find out what happened to him has pulled her through two major health scares.
This year marks another painful milestone in the disappearance of 31-year-old Mark Swanson, originally from Wick in Caithness.
The Scottish oilman went missing in Rio de Janeiro in 2003 in mysterious circumstances.
Since then his brave mum, Isobel Coghill, has been battling to find out if he is dead or alive.
Speaking from her Wick home, Isobel told how she had fought two potentially lethal strokes in the last five years.
And the gran-of-three said her hope of getting to the bottom of her only son Mark’s disappearance had got her through her battle.
The 68-year-old said: “The last five years have been hard.
“I suffered a severe stroke around four years ago, which left me paralysed down my right side.
“I spent four months in hospital and had to learn to walk again.
“Then last November I had another stroke – albeit not as bad compared to the first one.
“It’s meant I’ve not been able to concentrate on chasing up what happened in Brazil.
“But now I am on the road to recovery I am determined to get back to trying to find out what happened to Mark.”
Mark, 31, is suspected to have been killed in the crime-ridden city.
Brazilian police previously treated his baffling disappearance as murder – but despite saying they had a suspect, never made an arrest.
He is feared to have been killed and his body dumped somewhere in the city.
Mark’s last day saw him leave his apartment in the resort of Maceio and travel to the metropolis of Rio, 150 miles away.
There he met a friend but, within hours, he disappeared.
Mark’s Brazilian girlfriend Gabriella, alerted authorities when he failed to get home to Maceio.