Body found in hunt for missing girl, 17
A BODY was found last night following a huge search for a missing 17-year-old girl.
Hannah Mackenzie was supposed to meet her mother after her first day back at school but never showed up. The teenager, from Gravir on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, was last seen outside her school in Stornoway at 4pm on Thursday.
Police last night said a body had been found in the castle grounds in Stornoway. A statement said: ‘While formal identification has yet to take place, the family of missing person Hannah Mackenzie has been informed.’
Chief Inspector Ian Graham, Area Commander for the Western Isles, added: ‘Our thoughts at this difficult time are with all concerned.’
Friends say Hannah had seemed fine on the day of her disappearance and had attended lessons that day.
She was intending to walk just over a mile to the Western Isles Hospital in the town to meet her mother.
A frantic air, land and sea search was launched as coastguards were joined by members of Hebrides Mountain Rescue. Police were also considering bringing in sniffer dogs from the mainland. Earlier, friends of the schoolgirl turned to Facebook to appeal for help finding her. Hannah’s best friend Evie Hepworth wrote: ‘Hi everyone, my best friend Hannah Mackenzie has gone missing after school today.
‘She was supposed to be walking to the hospital to meet her mum when I left her but hasn’t been in contact with anyone since.’