Scottish botanist Jamie Taggart missing in Vietnam

CONCERN is growing for a botanist from Argyll and Bute who has gone missing in northern Vietnam, and has not been seen for over a month.

Jamie Taggart, as seen in 2011, who is missing in Vietnam. Picture: PA

Jamie Taggart failed to return from a plant-hunting trip to the northern mountainous region of the country earlier this month.

Inquiries by his family revealed that he has not been seen since November 2, when his rucksack and passport were found at a guesthouse in the town of Sapa.

Local police and the British embassy in Hanoi were informed of the 41-year-old’s disappearance and searches of the area have been carried out.

Mr Taggart runs Linn Botanic Gardens in the village of Cove on the Rosneath peninsula.

His father Jim Taggart found out he was missing when he failed to appear on a scheduled flight home to Scotland on November 29.

Mr Taggart said: “He is being searched for, so far without result of any kind. I only heard about it when he did not come home on the flight he was booked on. Something has happened to him, but not necessarily an accident on a hill.”

The botanist arrived in a guest house in Sapa on October 30 and left on a motorbike taxi to explore the hills.

On November 2 his rucksack and passport were found at the accommodation.

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: “We are aware that a British national was reported missing on October 31 whilst in the Sapa Mountain area, Vietnam.

“We are in close contact with the local authorities and are providing consular assistance to their family at this difficult time.”

Prayers were said for Mr Taggart, a retained firefighter, at Craigrownie Church on Sunday.

He took over responsibility for Linn Botanic Gardens from his father in 1997. In March this year the attraction was added to Historic Scotland’s Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes.