Surgeon Lt. Cmdr Hughes

Missing Surgeon Lt. Cmdr Hughes  - police and family appeal for help
Car found but no trace of missing Navy man


Police searching for missing Surgeon Lieutenant Commander David Hughes have found his car.

Officers from Grampian Police discovered the silver Mondeo estate in a car park at Linn of Quioch, Braemar, this afternoon (Tuesday).

A search and rescue team and officers from Grampian Police are now preparing to carry of a detailed examination of the immediate area. A helicopter is also carrying out an air-search.

The car will also be forensically examined to try and establish if there is anything in the vehicle that might suggest where Dr Hughes was heading.

The family have been informed of this latest development.

Dr Hughes, a Surgeon Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy, went missing on Wednesday 18 April. He had just completed a nightshift as an anaesthetist at St John's Hospital in Livingston, going off duty at 9am. However he did not return home that morning.

Instead he called his wife later that day to say he was going hill walking but would not say where he was going. He has not returned to work since and has been out of contact with his family and friends who are growing increasingly concerned.

A police spokeswoman said: "The discovery of the car is a major step forward in our search for Dr Hughes. It now gives us a geographical focus for the area he might be in.

"We are very keen to hear from anyone who may have seen the vehicle in this area in the last few days. We are also keen to speak to any hill walkers who have been in Braemar recently and think they may have seen Dr Hughes. He had a green one-person tent with him which he may be using.

"We know that Dr Hughes has been under a lot of pressure at work doing long hours in a stressful job. As a result he has been a bit depressed with his circumstances and it appears that he decided to go away. But he has now been missing for seven days.

"He has not been missing before though and this type of behaviour is very unusual for him. His family are very concerned about his welfare and would urge anyone who thinks they may have seen him since he disappeared to contact police.

Dr Hughes is described as white, 6'01" tall, medium build, brown eyes, short black hair with small patches of grey, tanned complexion, scar on left knuckles, English accent.

He was last seen wearing a green fleece, navy blue Rohan trousers and trainers. His family believe he may have taken a tent and some hill walking equipment with him.

Dr Hughes is originally from Newton Abbot in Devon but has not been in touch with family there. Police have made a number of enquiries throughout the UK with friends and relatives but no one has heard from him since he went missing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131.