Major hunt for man, 44, missing in Highlands draws blank

A MAJOR land and sea search for a man missing in the Highlands for nearly a week drew a blank at the weekend.

Thurso lifeboat, coastguards and police teams resumed the search at first light again yesterday for storeman Michael Sinclair, 44, from Thurso, who was last seen on Monday evening.

Specialist river rescue experts, mountain searchers and police dog teams headed the hunt on Saturday. Thurso River was among the areas searched for the man – from the town's Castlegreen Road area. The search involved ten British Red Cross Swift Water Rescue team members and 15 Assynt Mountain Rescue team members.

Police have appealed to house and land owners in and around the Thurso area to check their land, gardens, sheds or any other outbuildings for Mr Sinclair, who lived with a partner.

He is understood to have left his home without telling anyone where he was going and police say they have no idea why he has disappeared. He is described as being about 5ft 8in tall, with blue eyes and short, dark brown hair, which is balding on top.

He usually has heavy stubble on his face, has no upper front teeth and has a Celtic band design tattoo on his right wrist with further tattoos on both upper arms. He wears a gold hoop earring in his left ear.

A police search team and coastguard officials have carried out a shoreline search, while dog teams tracked the River Thurso area at Bleachfield and Thurso East, as well as the area known as Clifftop Walk.

Police officers have also been carrying out door-to-door inquiries.