Divers scour river but find no trace of missing teenager

The searches of the River Ouse in York resumed again yesterday as officers from North Yorkshire Police attempt to find Jordan Sullivan, who has been missing for more than three weeks.

The 19-year-old was last seen on Valentine’s Day at 9.30am near the River Ouse in Naburn, York. His clothes and wallet were later found nearby.

West Yorkshire Police’s specialist underwater search team was drafted in yesterday for the renewed searches near to where Mr Sullivan was last seen.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman confirmed the searches were carried out for four-and-a-half hours up until 2pm, although the divers were unable to find any trace of the missing teenager.

The spokesman added: ““There are no more river searches planned at the moment. However, this will be reviewed in the next few days, to establish whether renewed river searches would assist to locate Jordan. Anyone with information which could help to locate Jordan, bringing the inquiry to a close, is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police as a matter of urgency.”

The police officer leading the search, Inspector Jo Brooksbank, said two days after Mr Sullivan vanished that she was keeping an “open mind” about his disappearance.

However, concerns have been mounting for Mr Sullivan owing to the length of time that he has been missing.

Previous searches in the Bishopthorpe area of the city have involved the West Yorkshire Police helicopter and the force’s underwater unit as well as a specialist search and rescue team from Scarborough.

Relatives of Mr Sullivan have refused to give up hope that he is still alive, and have themselves conducted a high profile campaign to appeal for information.

His mother, Nicola Jobling, made an emotional plea for her “gorgeous boy” to get in touch during a media call near to the scene where he was last spotted. Friends of Mr Sullivan’s family and a team of volunteers also handed out 6,000 leaflets appealing for information to people visiting city centre pubs and bars on the evening of February 25.

Mr Sullivan is white, about 5ft 9in and slim with short dark hair. He has a tattoo of a crucifix running between his shoulder blades.

Anyone with information is being urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on the non-emergency number of 101.

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