Hebrides News

Physical searches for missing Stornoway teenager called off

5 December 2024

A large scale search in the Lews Castle Grounds in Stornoway for missing teenager, Aleksandr Benga, has been called off.

Western Isles Police are still appealing for any information which may help trace the youth and urge islanders to check dashcam and private security cameras.

Aleksandr is described as 6ft 2ins tall, of slim build with short brown hair. He was wearing a beige jumper and black jeans.

People living between Willowglen Road and Cameron Terrace, as well as residents of the Marybank and Maryhill area are urged to review images from private security cameras.

Police are aware of his movements up to the point he reached the Lata Mill waterwheel at the Willowglen part of the castle grounds early on Monday morning over two weeks ago

But there has been no sign of the 16-year-old since then and concerns intensified given the freezing weather conditions.

Local coastguard and fire personnel were out searching on foot in the Lews Castle grounds, Willowglen, and surrounding areas, after the alarm was raised that day, using torches as the light faded.  

Stornoway search helicopter undertook overhead sweeps of the area while Stornoway RNLI lifeboat scoured the coastline between Arnish and the inner harbour.

Searches continued daily through snow covered terrain and thick undergrowth whilw reinforcements were drafted in from the mainland. Numerous people with specialist search skills arrived on the island on a rolling basis to help.

A command base set up at Stornoway Coastguard base co-ordinated search efforts while specialist search advisers and search team officers from Aberdeen and Inverness as well as police dogs were involved.

Coastguard search parties and the local Hebrides Mountain Rescue Team were supported by Dundonnell and Assynt mountain rescue teams and dogs from Search and Rescue Dog Association (Sarda).

As the search entered its second week, hundreds of leaflets appealing for information were handed out to motorists driving past the castle grounds.

Police officers went door-to-door in the wider Marybank area asking residents if they had seen the boy while a police helicopter scoured the Pentland Road route between the town and the Carloway district.

Police divers were deployed in the castle grounds while specialist officers and search dogs checked out moorland airighean (sheilings) on the single track old Achmore Road in case the teenager sought refuge from the cold and wet weather.  

Inspector Euan Cowan said: "Aleksandr Benga, 16, was last seen around 8.45am on Monday, November 18, 2024 in the Lews Castle area of Stornoway.

“Despite extensive enquiries and rigorous searches involving a number of local and national specialist police resources, Aleksandr remains a missing person.”

He added: “Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time and we remain in regular contact with them.

“Physical searches have now concluded, however we will continue to review all available information and act on any new details which are passed to police.

“Please bring any information to our attention by calling 101, quoting incident 0803 of November 18, 2024.”

Islanders are asked to check any outbuildings, sheds and garden areas where he may have sought shelter.