Search efforts continue for missing Belfast man

Search efforts enter their third week to find a Belfast man who is currently missing in Spain.

John Hardy, also known as John George, was last in touch with his family on 14 December, when he drove from Alicante to Benidorm.

Mr Hardy's father Billy George, who has travelled to Spain, has said he believes his son is dead.

On Friday, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) issued a fresh appeal for members of the public to share information as they assist Spanish police with the investigation.

It comes as a search and rescue team from Northern Ireland, that has been in Spain since New Years' Day, has ended its search.

On Saturday evening, K9 Search and Rescue NI, an all-volunteer canine search and rescue team, said its search was "coming to an end, for now, with unfortunately no results in locating missing Belfast man John George".

Ryan Gray is the team leader of K9 Search and Rescue NI who have been helping locals with the efforts to find Mr Hardy.

Mr Gray says this is the first time they have had to deal with a missing person outside of the UK.

He said: "We've searched for people missing in England and Scotland before, but in terms of searching for a person missing from Northern Ireland abroad, this is the first time."

Mr Gray told BBC News NI on Saturday night that the search was "very productive".

"We covered very large areas and the challenges that come with that...there's all different sorts of terrain, scrubland, urban areas, water.

"But unfortunately we didn't find anything relating to John."

He added that the family, who asked the team for their assistance, are still in Spain alongside "lots of John's friends" and are "still searching for him".

"They're definitely going to continue on searching for John."

He said the team are going to keep in "very close contact" with John's family and added the team "don't want to leave".

"We came out here to find John and we haven't...we will return if the family ask us to come back."

There are seven team members and a victim recovery dog assisting the search.

Earlier on Saturday Mr Grey said the weather was "hot, about 17 or 18 degrees" and although the team were managing, the search covered "fairly large areas".

Mr Gray mentioned that issues can crop up regarding logistics to an effort like this, he said that "a couple of guys had to ask for leave" and that "to get our dog out here we had to use a Spanish airline, which involved a few stops along the way, but we're always ready".

On Friday, a public portal opened for information in relation to Mr George's disappearance.

The PSNI has said it is "liaising closely with the missing man's family and other law enforcement agencies".

Additionally, they said liaison officers have been appointed to provide support to the family at this time.

"While the investigation must be progressed by Spanish police, the Police Service of Northern Ireland have made an offer of assistance to police in Spain and will assist with any local enquiries as requested by them," a PSNI spokesperson said.

Police have asked for anyone who believes they may have information, which could assist the Spanish investigation team, to contact them.

Any photographs or footage, including CCTV, mobile phone or dash cam footage, can be shared with the PSNI through the Major Incident Public Portal, and that information will be forwarded to Spanish Police.

The PSNI has no jurisdiction over the investigation in Spain and assistance is confined to Northern Ireland at this time.