Jungle body is missing backpacker
A BODY found in the Malaysian jungle was yesterday confirmed as that of missing British backpacker Gareth Huntley.
He was identified after his mother Janet Southwell, who had travelled to Malaysia to co-ordinate a search, gave a blood sample for DNA tests.
Mr Huntley, 34, disappeared on May 27 on a trek to a waterfall on Tioman Island, off the southeastern coast of the country’s mainland. His body was found on Wednesday.
Last night Mr Huntley’s family paid tribute to him and said they were grateful for the local efforts to find him. In a statement they added: ‘We would like to thank everyone who came together to do everything in their power to help find Gareth.
‘You have been extraordinary and we are deeply touched and deeply grateful.
‘There are no words that can capture the devastation we feel right now; no words that can capture the kindness, warmth and spirit that Gareth exuded; no words can describe the void he will leave in all of the lives he touched.
‘Gareth lived every minute of his life as fully as he could; never without a smile and always with others in his heart. You will never leave our hearts Gareth.’
Mr Huntley, who lived in Hackney, East London, had taken a sabbatical from his job in the City to volunteer at the Juara Turtle Project.
His body was found in a pond just yards from a kayak storage shed used by project staff.
Police chief Datuk Sharifuddin Ab Ghani said the body was found clothed in shorts, socks and shoes, but with no shirt. An iPhone was found nearby but there was no sign of any personal documentation.
The cause of death has not yet been established.
His family mounted a high-profile campaign to extend the search for him after he disappeared, leading to a meeting between David Cameron and M a l a y s i a ’s prime minister, Najib Razak.